Bound by Soul
by sweet-and-simple
Summary: It comes after the nightmare, the pain and suddenness of receiving another's soul without realizing it. It all has something to do with the demon that nearly killed him a year ago. Now, he must depend on the demon for protection, for both their sakes. DISCONTINUED.
1. Crossing Card

"What do you want from me?"

The question had no tone of fear, nor irritation. The voice was deep and whispery like a dark lover and as dead as the fall of sand. Blue-green eyes stared calmly ahead of himself, his hands bound high above his head by blessed shackles with runes scratched into them. He would not be leaving until he would be released, it did seem…

One red eye looked at him out of the shadows that seemed to shroud him. He heard a childish cackle from the bearer of the cursed eye.

"Well, that's a secret!"

The owner of the blue-green eyes narrowed his gaze upon the shadow. The shadow cackled again as he swaggered forward to put his face hardly an inch from the redhead chained to the stone wall.

"Hhhhmm, I guess I could tell you! After all, you're not going anywhere till I let you go, aren't you?"

He tapped a mocking finger against the silver holding the redhead wrists.

"I'm going to kill you!"

Spoken as if he were a small child saying he was going to go to the park, full of excitement and quivering energy. Blue-green eyes remained blank.

"We both know that's impossible. Why try?"

His voice held not a shake or a trace of surprise. In the blood of the red eye, he could tell that the shadow was smiling, possibly with such gruesome intentions that it belied his immature behavior.

"Oh, but it is, Gaara. Oooh! Big bad sand demon! Loveless and without weakness, entirely untouchable!"

The shadow laughed in a high-pitched tone as he poked the redhead's shoulder where a gash that had been open and pulsing blood was already nothing more than a scratch. The wound would have killed a human, but he wasn't human, was he?

"I'm touching you now, so you must have a weakness, neh?"

The redhead gave no reaction. The shadow didn't act as if he had expected one. Instead, he took his hand away with a pleasant hum and was suddenly gone, once more by a large cauldron placed in the middle of the underground cavern of the mountain he had been tricked in to. Musk and basil had been thrown in, as had been rosemary, vetivert, clove, lotus, myrrh, mugwort, wormwood, benzoin, willow bonded cords of green and red, hemlock, nightshade, rue, thistle, henbane, mint, and cinnamon.

Had he thought the man an imbecile, he would have believed he was attempting to create a love potion… Except that would be stupid, and would not explain the presence of half of the herbs used, nor for the number of poisonous plants.

"So you must have a mortal weakness! Of course, you don't have that _right_ now, but that was the whole point of all of this trouble, wasn't it?"

The redhead did not feel a thing as the shadow came forward and shoved a sharpened wand of elder wood into his heart. Elder wood was used in evoking and exorcizing demons. Had he been a lower demon, he would have died in great agony at that moment, seeing as how the wand tore straight through his heart. Because he was not, he only flickered his darkly shaded eyes in acknowledgement of the uncomfortable feeling and sudden pain. He made not a sound. The shadow cackled into his ear before returning to his pot, raising the bloodied wand over the opening and allowing a few drops of the red liquid to drip into the boiling contents.

'_By this blood I bind_

_This demon's mind _

_Heart, soul, and life_

_  
By this blood I bind_

_This demon's mind_

_Heart, soul, and life_

_  
By this blood I bind_

_This demon's mind_

_Heart, soul, and life_

"Who do you hope to bind it to? You have offered nothing of another into your recipe. Do you hope to bind me to air? The earth?"

He did not mock. That would be below him; but it was a question either. Possibly a taunt to the ear of the ignorant. The shadow ignored him as he repeated his chant for a few more moments.

The redhead gave pause to his calm persona, his eyes widening as he felt his heart quake and quicken in his open chest. It's beat became faster and faster until the world around him spun, his breath coming out in pants. This was… impossible. Nothing of personal value of another had been tossed into the cauldron. His blood alone had entered the turbulent of herbs. As suddenly as the furiousness of his heart had begun, it stopped… Entirely. Not even the slow beat it had gone to before remained. For a short moment, he choked on air at the realization. His heart had usually beaten thrice a minute, an incredibly slow rate that allowed his body to heal so quickly before blood loss could become a danger. Now, he listened in near fearful rapture. One minute went by… another… Three passed by before his eyes turned to the shadow before him, a snarl on his lips as one red eye stared smugly back at him.

"What have you done?"

"I bound your heart, life, soul, and blood to another… Now, you have to go find that person to restore yourself, don't you?"

Aside from his heart, he felt no different from before. He had always been believed soulless. It was, however, the afflicting tone of the shadow that gave him yet another pause. His life… Was no longer his own. It had been bound to another… And if that other was found and murdered… His life would leave with that being. In essentiality, he would die with that other.

His blue-green eyes stared emotionlessly at the shadow.

"My blood was the only personal element placed into the spell… There's no possibly way you have bound me to another."

The other stopped laughing, but his cackling continued.

"Oh, but there was another blood offer in that spell! It was in your _own_ blood… And don't tell me it's not possible when it _clearly_ is!"

The redhead stared at the shadow.

"Aw, you don't remember!? How sad… I'm sure your last victim does!"

Images flooded his head. A raven haired boy… Yes, with obsidian eyes. Dancing naked before the full moon on his lonesome. Around him, animals had gathered, mostly the smaller prey of the forest… The hunger that had been enveloping him, the rage and fury that had been reddening his mind even before he had come upon the scene… Wicca. The boy had been Wicca, therefore he had been mentally more powerful than a civilian, therefore he had had a deep earthen connection. Therefore, he had rested his eyes upon him, at that time a wounded man with his demon energy ebbing, and had reached out to aide him… How he had left that boy alive, he was uncertain. Maybe some chivalry had demanded that he not kill the same being who had only wished him health, possibly because he had outgrown the need for devouring blood decades ago.

Blood cells were regenerated and spread throughout the entire body. The attack had occurred an entire year ago. The human red blood cell, as long as it worked, lived for an average of 120 days, and the human heart beat was an average of 70 beats per a minute depending on age and weight. Put into those terms, a blood cell from his own body lived for over a year…

Which meant that the raven's blood continued to circulate throughout his own body, having been absorbed from his digestive system into his blood system to act as his own blood cells. Lesser demons commonly used the technique to quicken their healing processes as well as speed their heartbeats to gain an edge of warmth and a feeling of humanity, a curiosity of sorts that usually meant death to the preyed upon being.

His breathing stopped. Seeing as his heart no longer beat, oxygen was useless, therefore the process was halted. The raven was alive… and he had to find him before his every bodily response ceased as well. He wouldn't die, he would fall into a coma like sleep… Which would be just as bad in this case. Humans, no matter if they were Wicca, were still mortal. He would die in his sleep just as the Wicca boy died in whatever way he was to die.

The shadow squealed with laughter as it swirled and then vanished. The shackles holding the redhead clicked, releasing him to land silently on the ground that had been an inch or so out of reach before. He continued to stare at where the other had stood.

The shadow was right… He had no weakness, so a weakness had been created. A mortal weakness of his own now walked the earth. Soon, most likely very soon, he would not be.

He hissed as energy that had been sheathed by the blessed shackles rolled off of him, pulsing against the cavern walls and blowing over the still boiling pot. It's contents spewed over the floor, making curls of vapor rise from the ground as it's heat countered the cold icy surface. It was too late, though. The spell had been initiated. For now, there was only two options available to him: He could allow the raven to die, thus ending his own life, or keep the raven alive until he could break the spell. There was always a counter spell… It was impossible to create a spell without another being there to counter it.

He made his decision, if not even mentally muttering it, as he disappeared into a surge of red energy that shoved at the cavern walls, collapsing the cave onto itself.

* * *

_It was magic… In it's most perfect, most open sense. It was beautiful, captivating, breath taking… _

_He danced for the moon, for his priestess, for the goddess and god that led them. He danced for the another cycle ending, he danced just because the urge had been so strong as he had walked about life that day that he had had no choice but to dance! Here he stood, in the blessed circle of stones that rested in a clearing, illuminated by the full moon that mothered them all. His feet touched the earth gently, moved swiftly through the air, twirled over the dead autumn leaves lovingly. His hand swayed and clawed, reached towards the moon and then fell to the earth beneath. His entire body moved to and fro in a symphony of nature around him. _

_He laughed softly as he realized he had an audience, tiny black eyes staring at him from high and low surfaces as even larger eyes stared at him from the faces of does and stags and their little fawns. Around them too stood night birds and a bear had wandered peacefully into their midst, settling it's large frame onto the ground to stare at him through poor eyesight. The gazing eyes did not dismay him- oh no!- they gave him an even greater need to dance. _

_The breeze brushed against his naked body as if it were his partner, whispering against his body and sighing into his ears. He threw his head up to the moon, a large smile on his face as if in ecstasy. _

_Finally, hours after having mindlessly begun, he fell to the ground. His energy was spent, the madness of their mother moon had washed over and then left him. He gasped for air as his body burned and shook. It was glorious! Surely, not a better way could be found to spend the night of the full moon?_

_His smile disappeared as the harmonious aura that had descended the clearing broke with cries and roars as well as darting feet. The night birds flapped wildly into the sky as the deer fled and the bear ran. The smaller creatures scattered and hid. What had disturbed them so? Perhaps the company they had been keeping had finally been realized? That would not explain why the bear had ran, though. Nor why so sudden they had each retreated… _

_There was a rasping sound outside of the circle. He sat up on shaking arms to look through the lighted clearing into the surrounding dark forest. There! He saw a pair of glowing opaque eyes staring directly at him! Now he was embarrassed by his nudity, yelping in surprise as he grabbed at the pants he had worn there. His body had yet to be seen by any but the animals, his mother moon, and himself! This pair of opaque eyes, he could tell, were from none of them. He shoved his legs through the pants quickly, his voice mumbling under his breath as he could not think of what to say. Anyone outside of his coven would think this insanity! Folly! And he knew of no one in his coven with such eyes… Eyes that were so unusual, only an animal would gaze with them…_

_An animal… or a demon…_

_He shoved the unkind though away, standing in the circle and meeting golden eyes once more. He would not apologize, not for something he felt no shame for. However, the rasping of the other's breathing reached his ears once more… As if the other were in pain. His eyebrows drew together with concern. _

"_Are you alright?"_

_He called out to the being he could not clearly see. No answer was returned except for a snarl. _

"_Please! If you can, walk here!"_

_It was an attempt to see if this were a demon or not. The circle was blessed, no demon could enter. However, he was not answered, nor did the being step forth. His heart trembled, but it was not with fear for himself. What if he was truly harmed? What if he needed help immediately!? _

_He set aside instinctive fear and stepped out of the circle, his obsidian eyes locked with golden eyes. _

_The next moment was uncertain. There was a roar of need and then he found himself flung against a tree, his mouth open in a scream that echoed throughout the forest as teeth too sharp to be normal pierced the flesh of his right arm and tore. Energy tore at him, cutting into his face and body. The flesh of his right leg ripped and his scream grew to a crescendo before he fell limp against the tree. Perhaps he was still conscious… perhaps he was now having a nightmare. Either which way, his gaze was hazy as he stared down at a head of red, listening mutedly to the sound of sucking and growls. Across the being's body were gashes and tears that would have dropped even a whale dead. Yet, even as he watched, they disappeared. Perhaps that could be attributed to how light his head felt and was possibly just an illusion…_

_His body slid down the tree, only held up by the arm that was suddenly about his waist, hoisting him away from the tree and against the redhead's body. Long moments later, the being looked up at him. Golden eyes flickered and then dimmed, becoming a light green before dimming even more to look like sea foam. _

_Beautiful eyes… truly…_

_The redhead's face was bathed in his blood, sharp fangs visible in the man's mouth as the redhead continued to pant. _

_He was released. He landed onto the ground with a 'thump', now looking up at his offender… At a demon… He should had stayed in the circle. Now his priestess would be ashamed of him, surely. After a moment's pause, the demon followed him down, getting onto his hands and knees to suckle at the open wounds on his leg and arm. By the time the demon lifted his face again, he was only able to see shadows, relying on hearing to tell him everything that happened. He would have rather had his sight… He could have been able to shut his eyes. He heard the whisper of clothing and then felt pressure against his lips. It was only when he tasted blood, his own blood, that he realized that lips were pressed against his own. _

_Was this a sick punishment for leaving the circle? Was this demon about to rape him? He didn't give the second question much thought, deciding against it. He had been told constantly that he was not that attractive. Yet, how could this be explained then!? _

"_Thank you."_

_The voice was deep yet whispering, like the sound of the ocean right beneath the waves. Then the warmth that must have been the demon disappeared, leaving him alone. He did not realize that at first, not until he opened his eyes once more to no longer be in the forest. Above him was his priestess, to his side was his coven brother, and at the foot of the bed was his coven sister. For one moment, he fooled himself into believing that it had been a nightmare. That his screams had roused these three from their sleep and they had came to check on him. _

_It was only that moment, however, because then he tried to tell them that he was fine. His voice cracked on the words, and agony enveloped him as he tried to raise his arm to touch a hand to his throat. The walls of this room were white, he finally realized as he stared at the ceiling. The walls of his room were green. The bed was not his own either. The looks on their faces were not of concern, nor curiosity. No, sorrow and understanding were their auras. _

_What had happened, happened… _

_And he remained alive to tell the tale._

Lee gasped for air as he shot up from the bed, his right arm and leg flexing in reflex for awaiting pain. His sweaty black locks swayed as his gaze shot about the room, searching out golden eyes he technically knew weren't there. He gave a shuddering sigh as he curled his knees to his chest and ran his hands agitatedly through his hair, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

How long as it been since that night? Ah… A year from yesterday… A year since his last moon dance… He was no coward, but he… The damage his limbs had taken in the attack… He did not want to disgrace the mother moon with what would be a terribly worship. Luckily, however, he could still run. He could still walk and stand without a cane… But the sliding and fluid motions of dancing were beyond him now.

He sobbed into his knees, rubbing at his calves as a pain entered his heart, making it's beat increase to where he felt it would burst. He cried out as it felt something was stitching itself into his very soul, suddenly not just his own body, but that of another's. His hand twisted the fabric of his nightshirt over his heart until the furious beat seemed to abate just enough that he felt he could breathe safely once more.

He stared with wide eyes at the green comforter over his knees. What… had that been?

_

* * *

It's a badly written chapter, isn't it? I was in In Phase today, and found 'Book of Shadows'. It gave birth to this idea and I bought the book in order to have reference. That does not mean that all the items I use in this story came from the book, it just means that what I have is most likely real and correct. Please do realize that the first spell used was not from the book, and some of the herbs used were poisonous. _

_I'm not certain how often I will get around to writing for this… It was a solid idea when I first got to it, but the enthusiasm faded somewhat. If you want to read more, you're going to have to tell me, aren't you?_


	2. View of Others

Her hair had been let down from it's signature twin buns and then braided for the night, a long rope of brown hair winding down her spine to rest on the bed she sat on. Before her, destiny.

Her fingers drifted delicately over the cards set out. In the center, one card was crossed over the first, and then four cards were set out about the center with a row of four cards to the right. This was her third reading that night, and each of them for the same person.

The question she had asked had been one she had asked dozens of times ever since finding her coven brother bleeding and unconscious by the stone circle, one that she had not gotten a clear answer for until this very moment. The part that frightened her, _terrified_ her, was that the same cards had occurred for all three of those times. That was impossible! Yes, the same meaning could usually be come across a number of times, but never by way of the same cards!

Her brown eyes were sad as one tentative finger drifted over the seventh card in the set, the card of Death. Most were mistaken into believing that the card of death meant that someone was actually going to die. However, that wasn't true. Something was going to end, but a new beginning was going to come of it as well. This layout… It frightened her. The certainty of it, the cards of which were certain…

Her coven brother was going to go through hell…

Her fingers drifted over the third card in the set, the crowning card as it was called. It was the Moon… Filled with confusion, uncertainty, and vague hope. The crowning card was above the two cards crossed in the center, hence the term 'crowning'. This card… This one, she had not needed a reading for.

The last card, the tenth, made her smile. Yes, her coven brother was going to go through hell… But it was going to be alright. The Ten of Cups, contentment and the permanence in the realm of the heart.

It was going to be a powerful transition, she finally acknowledged as she put all of the cards back into the deck and sat it aside for the night. However, it was a transition he could make only alone… No, not alone, she knew as her gaze landed on the Two of Cups. On a divinatory level, it meant that her coven brother was going to be joined by another… Or someone he has already met but has been separated from…

She shuddered as her hand touched that of the Devil. A card that meant the crudity, distrust, and selfishness of the mind. This card… _this_ card, in this spread, left her heart cold. In the card of the Devil, one must find a way to overpower their inhumane needs in order to grow. This was the fifth card, the card of past influences.

_This_ was the demon who had nearly murdered her coven brother, and _that_ was what made this card cold to the touch.

'_Oh, Diana…'_

She gave a silent prayer to their goddess as she laid down, the deck safely in the drawer by her bedside.

'_Let Lee not stray from this path… It's going to hurt, but it's end is beautiful. Please, Lee… Be brave, like you always are.'_

* * *

'_The Mythic Tarot, A New Approach To The Tarot Cards' by Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene. It's an old tarot deck and tarot is pronounced 'Tear (as in tearing something in two)-oh (as on O). Not tarot like carrot. _


	3. Card of Death

Lee closed the circle with one last rhyme for the night, his tattered and worn book of spells in hand. Every Wicca made their own at one point or another. A book in which they would write down spells of their own creations and spells that made an impression on them. This was how knowledge was spread… If only for one person. If an outsider were to come and threaten a wiccan, the book was either to be destroyed to hide it's secrets, or handed off to a coven brother or sister for protection.

The flush left behind by the joy and incense that had burned slowly died as the sparkle that had lightened his obsidian eyes dimmed just a notch, his smile slipping away slowly in the wind. He wore a green robe over his street clothes, the color signifying that he worked with herbs in the coven.

Something about this day… had not felt quite right to him… Something was off. Something subtle that he could not quite place it, but so important that it consumed his thoughts. It had been the night before where he had awaken from his nightmare into the strange sensation of separating and then regaining another part. He had counted his heartbeat afterwards, concerned about how it had sped. He had counted several more times out of disbelief. His resting heartbeat was a firm 52, mostly because of his long distance running and the exercises he put his body through. A rhythm most would be concerned for was the beat he lived to, and it enabled him to keep up even with all of the dogs and other animals within their coven.

His resting heartbeat was now 55. Three beats more than it had ever been unless he exerted himself. Most would not be concerned; after all, it was _only_ three beats faster. Well, they weren't him!

"Little witch boy, yeah!"

He froze, his spell book clenched in one hand as his head tilted towards the cry. Ever so slowly, his eyes followed, looking up into the previously empty branches of the hibernating oak to his right. In it's branches, a blonde haired man stared back at him with a malicious smile across his lips, his blue eyes shining with an edge of insanity. Lee took a defensive position as his heart sputtered up and then sped. He was usually hard to scare… Almost an impossible task, actually. However, a man with a tongue lolling out of the his chest cavity made it's way onto the list of things Lee was now positive would now make him check his door twice before crawling into bed.

"I don't get what Leader sees in you, but an order is an order, hm…"

With that, the man was suddenly way into his personal bubble, his mascara lined blue eyes shining with excitement as he placed a palm onto Lee's cheek. Lee shuddered as he realized that the man had yet another mouth as he felt something wet and fleshy trail down his throat.

"Let's make this fun, yeah?"

'_Harm none'_

Of the few laws of the Wicca, that was one of the most important. That did not mean he hadn't bee taught to defend himself, or others. He gripped the blonde's hand in one of his own and twisted the wrist to a near snapping point, forcing the palm off of his throat, and took a step back just to propel his knee forward into the elbow of the captured arm. The plan had been to cause enough substantial damage that the… whatever it was… would be in a little too much pain to run after him. He disliked running away greatly, but he was _not_ suicidal. At least to a safe enough distance…

It backfired as the mouth in the blonde's hand bit him, the other hand coming out smoothly to grab the knee. He bit back a cry of surprised pain as teeth ripped right through the skinny jeans he had been wearing, consequently also ripping apart the meat of his upper thigh. The blonde pouted.

"You're no fun, un."

A scowl over his lips.

"You're ugly too."

A manic smile dispelled the scowl.

"Don't worry about it, yeah! I'll make you art, hm!"

Lee's jaw was tense with tension and his lips white with strain. The teeth in his hand and thigh only dug in deeper, almost as if urging him to let go the scream that clawed at his throat. Confusion filled him as the blonde began to choke, a smile still on his lips as his chest jerked with the motions and his throat constricted. The tongue lolling from his chest made a sweeping motion, it's gruesome lips opening wide. That confusion turned into horror, even as if his hand was being released, as a white-grey substance came from the demon's mouth right onto the palm he had taken from Lee.

"We're gonna make your last few moments beautiful, un!"

Lee had _no_ idea what the substance was supposed to do, but watching the mouth in his hand open and devour it, chewing on it, did _not_ encourage him to stay and find out. His teeth clenched and his eyes narrowed in pain as he grabbed the man's wrist and twisted with his uninjured hand, forcing the blonde's hand from his thigh. The blonde did not fight it, only grinning as Lee limped back a few steps away from him and clasped his hand over his pentagram.

He imagined the flow of energy forming the three interlocked circles around him, feeling said energy flow and ebb about him.

"_I am protected by thy might_

_O Gracious Goddess, day and night!"_

The blonde snickered, hand still chewing the clay-like substance as Lee continued to repeat the words out loud continuously, always keeping the image of the three interlocked circles in his mind.

"Do you honestly think that's going to work, hm?"

Lee's obsidian gaze, wearied by pain, did not waver from the demon's baby blue eye. The curve of blonde hair over the man's left eye shifted as he pushed his free hand through it. What Lee saw did not make him lose concentration (Never, _ever_ lose concentration!). It made him pray all the faster, his pentagram leaving it's mark deep into his bleeding palm.

"_I am protected by thy might_

_O Gracious Goddess, day and night!"_

From the man's left eye… nothing. A black hole in the side of his head that seemed to focus on Lee and stare more intently than the other.

The blonde smirked as the substance was regurgitated onto his palm, his fingers dipping into the substance and shaping it for a small moment before showing off a scorpion-like clay model to Lee.

"This is going to be beautiful, yeah!"

The scorpion crawled off of the blonde… and was scraping at the very edge of the circles only Lee could see clearly in his mind. The rising energy of green was like a wall against the small… whatever it was. He watched as it stood on it's hind legs and scratched at the energy, attempting to find entrance. The blonde did not seem at all bothered.

"Can your goddess protect you from art, un!?"

The blonde put two fingers to his forehead, his eyes shining.

"This is too easy, un!"

Lee's leg was trembling, threatening to give out on him. His hand continued to bleed. And, in the back of his mind, he could not help but wonder what the thing was supposed to do! He refused to believe that there was something the protection of his goddess could not protect him from, however. So he stood straight and tall, always muttering the spell over and over again as he envisioned the three interlocked circles growing, putting absolute belief into the image. The scorpion-like creature slid slowly back two inches.

"KATSU!"

The tiny model erupted into what had to be a wildfire, enveloping all of nature around it…

Except him, he was almost too shocked to realized. The image left his mind completely as his jaw dropped in horror. He expected the flames to touch him at any moment, knew that it would consume him…

But then everything became a golden shade of brown, whispering against his skin like crashing waves and scratching him like sandpaper.

When he was able to see pass the substance once more, now identified as sand as his fingers drifted through it's current, it was to see a somewhat furious, yet still smug, blonde, and… And…

His eyes widened and his mouth gaped slightly as he stared at a red cloaked back and a head of bloody red locks. Very familiar hair, he had to admit with a dry mouth, but not possibly the same head of red hair as-

"Are you alright…"

Blue-green eyes met his onyx black orbs over one shoulder, the darkly shadowed eyes sweeping over his form without waiting for an answer. Had Lee had the voice to answer, he would have lied. He would have said he was alright.

At that very moment, he could have not been further from 'alright'.

Blue-green eyes turned from him to stare at the blonde who was steadily gaining an even stronger edge of insanity than before.

"Well, if it isn't the sand demon again, yeah!"

He scratched the back of his head with one finger, a pleasant smile coming over his face as if they were talking about no more than a mild storm coming.

"I thought Leader took care you, hm…"

He became radical again, his grin widening till Lee was certain his face was going to split in half, the pupils of his eyes becoming no larger than pin points.

"You can be part of my art as well, un!"

Lee forced himself to his feet from where the sand had sat him by a large oak across from the fight behind the redhead, gritting his teeth as he did so. In that moment as well, ropes of sand whipped right passed his body, causing him to freeze entirely for a moment as his eyes darted to follow it's movement. In a flash, the tendrils were stabbing into the soil the blonde had once stood at… but no longer.

Now Lee snapped his head back to watch as the demon practically leaped into the night sky. As the demon began to descend, there was a large burst of aura, causing Lee to flinch as his eyes slid shut, looking away from the blonde.

He was not as sensitive to others aura's as some in his coven. However, if they were very strong emotions, it was all he could do not to see them! Their colors were so bright!

When he managed to look again, it was to blink in astonished awe as a large clay formed bird flapped it's wings high above their heads.

"Come here."

The sudden calm voice out of this chaos made Lee almost jump, his eyes landing on the back of the sand demon's head. He stared in confusion and, sadly to say, distrust.

The culture of Wicca was forgiving, all encompassing, and leaving no one behind. It ashamed him to say this, but… Part of forgiving was trusting, right?… Then he did not fully forgive the demon, because he could not blindly trust the redhead after their small and bloody history.

_He heard the whisper of clothing and then felt pressure against his lips. It was only when he tasted blood, his own blood, that he realized that lips were pressed against his own._

_"Thank you."_

"Quickly."

There was no urgency to the redhead's voice, only calm dominance. Lee looked from the bird to the demon… and then made his goddess and god proud.

He limped to the redhead's side, his face pale as the ripped flesh of his hand and thigh throbbed and stretched painfully. He looked at the redhead's face, and then turned his gaze back up to the bird that had now begun to dive straight at them.

'_I trust him, I forgive him, I trust him, I forgive him, I trust him, I forgive him, I trust him, I forgive him. If he wanted me dead, he could have let the explosion kill me. I trust him, I forgive him, I trust him, I forgive him, I trust him, I forgive him…'_

Large tentacles of sand flew straight up at the quickly approaching bird, even as the sand enveloped them in a dome like barrier. Lee took a deep meditating breath, forcing himself to calm. He had to forgive, to forgive, he had to trust-

He choked on saliva as a hand grabbed the hair at the base of his neck and pulled down, baring his throat before he had time to counter attack. His arms flinched, and then froze as a nose pressed itself against his pulse.

For one long moment in which he took the time to realize that he could not hear a thing from the outside, he expected… He didn't know what he expected, but he most certainly did _not_ expect what happened next!

Cold lips, _freezing_ cold lips, covered his own, opening Lee's limp mouth easily before the redhead took in a deep breath, as if the raven was an oxygen tank and he was in need of air.

He felt that part of himself he was almost entirely certain did not belong in him react to the pull on air. It rippled from within him, causing him to twitch in surprise. And then, it seemed to breathe as well, expanding and caving with each breath the demon took through Lee's lips.

It was not until Lee finally heard an explosion from outside the barrier that the redhead took his lips from him, his blue-green eyes as emotionless as ever as he put his back to Lee and stood before him.

"You have been taking good care of it. Good."

Lee blinked.

"I have taken good care of wha-"

His arms flew up before his face reflexively as one side of the barrier was blown in. He watched with awed horror as the grains seemed to pulse for a moment before swirling itself into a long rope of sorts before even hitting either of the two. From the other side, the demon cackled.

"Well, sand demon, what are you doing in here with the witch boy, un? Getting naughty, yeah?"

He spread his arms out wide as possibly dozens of tiny clay creatures with four legs, no arms, and circular legs crawled towards them, climbing on the still standing walls of the barrier.

"Hope you had fun, un!"

Lee grabbed his pentagram in his one bleeding hand as his mind flickered and danced over thousands of different spells he could possibly use to get both of them -yes, both of them! Because no one, no matter what crime, was to be left behind!- out alive.

_It _happened again, the expanding and ever blinding colors of an overly strong aura. His eyes slid shut, the intensity too much for his sensitive eyes. He heard the sand moved around him as if he were in the center of a sandstorm, heard the blonde's yell of 'unfair, un!', then the scream of pain and fury, felt one arm wrap itself solidly around his waist, and then heard the explosions…

From a very far off place…

Opening his eyes, it was to see a large form of white energy from possibly three miles away, the form rising into the air and actually seeming to create a… bird of sorts…

All of it happened in the blink of an eye, he realized.

"Is he dead?"

His voice was filled with disbelief. It seemed… too simple!

The demon looked at him, his blue-green eyes observant and mysterious.

"Yes… "

His eyes shot from the redhead to the explosion, then back again.

"How?"

"We have an issue to discuss."

The demon said instead of answering. Lee clenched his teeth at the rude change of subject, but then dropped it with a deep meditating sigh.

"Would it have anything to do with him wishing to kill me and your presence… I am sorry, but I do not know your name."

He said the last part sheepishly. The redhead never changed expressions.

"Yes."

He completely ignored Lee's mention of names. Lee frowned.

"Oh… Well, I am Rock! Lee Rock!"

In the back of his mind, he heard a groan of despair. Despite it, he stretched his arm out anyway, hoping to shake the man's hand. Blue-green eyes looked at the hand, and then dismissed it entirely, looking into Lee's eyes calmly.

"Names are empowering. You are foolish to hand your's out so carelessly."

He turned to look at the slowly fading explosion, missing Lee's upset frown as he allowed his hand to drift back to his side.

"Back to the matter at hand. If you die, I die. Therefore, I must make sure you live until we can break the spell."

As Lee blinked, attempting to digest that, Gaara's eyes narrowed into the distance, and then turned to stare down at Lee's bleeding leg before the gaze drifted up to the bleeding hand.

"So we need to go to your coven to find a counter spell."

Lee snapped back to the present.

"No!"

Call it a reflex, but it was bred in. A common law among all Wicca was to never name a bond brother, sister high priestess, or high priest. If ever a wiccan is cornered and questioned about their coven, they must remain strong!

And the Wall of China was not even as long as Lee's strength of determination.

* * *

-.- I… don't know about this story… So far, I really wish I could just drop this. *sigh* LARGE thanks to jekr-dementor2 for helping me through this chapter! Chances are, this one would not have been posted otherwise… 'The Book of Shadows' by Scott Cunningham.


	4. Geeeooo the Slow

For one long minute, the redhead stared at him. Lee stood his ground, hands fisted at his side, making the one throb painfully, and his legs spread apart as if ready for war, again making his one leg pulse painfully. And then the demon's eyes narrowed slightly, possibly in thought as he nodded his head as if answering one of his own questions.

"Fine."

Lee blinked, slightly taken aback. Again… that simple? Was anything complex to this man, or was everything solved in the blink of an eye? Lee wasn't used to such simplicity. For him, things had to be difficult to get done right! Otherwise, how are they done if they already seem done or could be ignored?

"… What?"

He felt he had the right to ask. Blue-green eyes held his own calmly.

"We don't need your coven specifically."

Somewhere within himself, he was relieved by that. Otherwise… He felt certain that this was _not_ a good thing!

And then an arm was wrapped around his waist, _again_, and sand was whispering out of every surface of the ground, illuminated by the light of the still fading explosion that was just now falling beneath the line of trees in the dead of night.

"eh!? Where are we going-"

He choked on flying grains of sand, his head hitting the demon's shoulder as his own shook. When the sand calmed and fell to the ground once more, Lee took a deep breath and looked up at the redhead with a small glare.

"Must you do that!?"

Then his eyes studied his surroundings. What he saw made his heart speed and his eyes widen. He was most _certainly_ not home.

At home, snow still covered the ground in a thin strip, the trees remained without their foliage and grass could only be seen in patches poking out of the thinner layers of white. This… place… The trees were full, the grass was trimmed, and the night was only slightly chilled. If he had to guess, they had moved more towards the southern equator. Hence, not even _close_ to home!

"… Where are we?"

His voice sounded shrill to his own ears, and then he turned back to the demon, eyes narrowed and body slightly trembling with anger.

"I do not lose my temper often… I have been trying to forgive you this whole night… but this!… First, I am attacked by another demon who knows you, then you tell me that if I die, you die as well without even explaining how that is possible, you refuse to tell me your name -which is downright rude!-, and now… I do not even know which direction home is much less how far away I am from it!"

He sucked in a deep breath as he put a reasonable amount of distance between them.

"What is going on!?"

"L-Lee…?"

He froze, blinked, and then looked over his shoulder. That shy mousey voice… He knew that voice!

"Hinata?… Hinata!"

He practically threw himself at the young woman who stared wide eyed at him, wrapping his arms firmly around her waist and pulling her into a tight hug.

"When your family moved away from-… we-, I thought I would never see you again! Yet… I am seeing you here right before me!"

He smiled down at her as he released the purple haired youth, then just pulled her into a tighter hug.

"You have blossomed beautifully!"

She smiled for a moment, though her thin eyebrows drew together in uncertainty as she stared up at him.

"I-it's nice to see you too, L-Lee… B-but, well… Why are you h-here?"

The question made Lee blink, think back a few moments, and then spin back onto the redhead, his mouth wide as he took a defensive stance between him and Hinata. There was a soft cry from the young woman as Lee felt a hand grasp the wrist of his bleeding hand.

"L-Lee! What happened!?"

"Why did you bring us here!? How did you know where Hinata and her family was!?"

Lee was perturbed and most definitely weary. Hinata and her family were very powerful wiccans… They had once performed the spells and done the healing for their coven, but then they had moved away… _Very_ far away… The coven had never gotten a reason for why, and had been deeply burdened by it since. _Why_ had the Hyuugas abandoned the coven? _Why_ had they not told where they were moving to? No answer had ever been given.

Yet, _somehow_, the redhead knew where they lived?

Blue-green eyes studied Lee's protective stance and set features without blinking.

"You refused your own coven. I brought us to another. That's all you need to know."

Lee gave the redhead a small glare.

"I would like to know more, if you would. If not how you know where they live, than why all of this is happening!"

He stepped forward, invading the demon's space with a radiant defiance.

"What are you not telling me?"

The other's darkly shadowed eyes narrowed on him as Hinata fell silent, suddenly aware of who else was here.

"Where is your fear?"

Lee's eyes narrowed.

"I have no fear!"

"You did earlier. You cowered."

"I was surprised! I do not scare easily!"

"You were afraid… of me."

Lee sighed, trying to regain calmness.

'_Geeeooo the slow does not understand why everyone moves about so fast instead of watching the mountains whither and the trees grow…'_

The rhyme helped calm him a bit. Geeeooo the slow was a fairy in one of his bond brother's taro cards, Chouji. The boy had always held a love for butterflies… When he had been drawn to the fairy oracle, no one had been surprised, nor teased him on his feminine taste. When Chouji had finished blessing the deck, he had went through and finished the questions his oracle book asked him to complete, reading the oracle to learn from it. When he had came across Geeeooo the slow, he had laughed and came up with the rhyme, very pleased with each card.

"I _was_ afraid of you… Now I want to know what you are not telling me!"

He refused to release the other's gaze.

"… It is healthy to be afraid of me."

"I am not afraid of you, not any longer. You told me yourself, you can not kill me without dying as well!"

That made the other narrow his eyes.

"There are tortures worse than death."

That made Lee growl, his eyes lighting fires deep within.

"I know, _you_ put me through it!"

The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He blinked and took a step back, his hands slapped over his mouth as he stared at the other with wide eyes. The man may have hurt him, but that did not make placing blame fair! That was… How could he!?

He looked away from the still blank redhead.

"I am sorry… I am trying to forgive you and that most certainly was not a way to go about it…"

He took a deep meditating breath, focusing on feeling it heave out of his belly and then spread throughout his entire belly.

"You're apologizing…"

He looked back up at the redhead, eyes sad.

"I had no right to say that."

"You have every right."

The redhead walked right around him towards the gaping Hyuuga.

"Hinata, where is your lover?"

Lee turned around, startled by the familiarity in the redhead's voice. They _knew_ each other?

Hinata sighed sadly as she looked from redhead to Lee before settling her gaze on the demon.

"N-Naruto… … W-well, he and Neji got into a-another f-fight, so…"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, JACK ASS!!!????"

Lee jumped at the loud roar, his head swinging around as the outburst just to be blinding by an oncoming boulder of light blue energy, his one hand covering his eyes as he dove out of the way.

"If you destroy any more of Hyuuga property, I shall make certain to exorcise you from this home!"

The overly familiar voice made Lee raise his head from the grass, blinking away the spots left in his vision.

"… Neji…?"

"If you destroy any more- Oh, spare me, would ya!? How dare you say that about Hina-!…"

The overwhelming orb of energy screeched to a halt and then dissipated, leaving behind a familiar long haired brunette and a blonde haired sky-blue eyed man who looked to be about the same age. The blonde held his face down, a shadow befalling his eyes and his arms limp at his sides.

Lee blinked, his eyes going from the stranger to the Hyuuga still in his stance with his feet apart and one arm raised towards the man, palm upward.

"Neji!"

Lee turned his face to look at a very upset Hinata, her eyes pained and her jaw clenched as she ran towards them. She placed herself before the stranger, arms spread apart as she _almost_ glared at the other Hyuuga. Lee was startled… Heck, he was shocked! He had never before seen Hinata get angry before! This was possibly the closest any one would come to see it! He found himself watching with adamant attention, still on his knees on the ground.

"Please! Stop trying to kill him!"

Lee's mouth dropped open. No stuttering… not one word without a stutter… That only happened when she was fixed in what she was doing, unyielding in her beliefs…

She loved him. This stranger that she was protecting. She had to, and she had to love him deeply if she was willing to stand up against her own cousin for him. Surely, if he told the coven of this, they would not believe him.

The thought of his coven made him mentally flinch, his eyes flittered to the redhead who only stared blandly at what was occurring. The moment Lee put his eyes upon the demon, the demon looked back at him.

'_Well… If I ever do go back to my coven… Do not think like that! No matter what, I shall return!'_

The determined thought gave him back some hope.

"We left home to take you from the demon, not so he could follow you like a lost puppy… Do you realize what you are doing to the family name? We are all shamed for your whoring ways!"

Lee's head snapped back, his mouth dropping open and shut like a fish out of water. Yes, Neji had never been the kindest to his cousin, but… Still! This was going too far-… Wait… demon?

The delayed question was answered in the next second. There wasn't even a flash of aura! There was just suddenly the same blonde gripping Neji's throat in one hand with his formerly sky-blue eyes now a deep pulsing red, the whisker like scars on each of his cheeks becoming pronounced as he snarled.

"She's not a whore! What kind of family are you that you call her that!? You… You disgust me!"

Lee watched Neji fly across the large expanse of land with awed disbelief, the Hyuuga's face twisted into one of pain from having the blonde's fist crash into it.

"Naruto! Please, the same goes for you!"

There was a hint of desperation to her tone.

"Stop trying to hurt each other!"

The blonde, Naruto, growled, his deep red eyes gaining a cat like pupil as he advanced on the fallen Hyuuga. Hinata grabbed his arm, gripping her pentagram in one hand as she leaned up and began to whisper into his ear words Lee could not hear. It took a long moment, but then the blonde seemed to come back into himself, his eyes slowly fading back into sky blue.

"Damn you, demon."

Came Neji's curse from where he laid on the ground, rubbing at his bruised cheek as he snarled at the blonde.

"Go screw yourself, Neji!"

Hinata successfully stopped Naruto's advance by wrapping her arms around his waist.

Lee was… flabbergasted… The Hyuuga's had left because of this man? Because Hinata had fallen in love with a demon? That was… wrong! No one, not even family, should have the right to try and destroy true love! Obviously, this coupling was meant to be! He had never before seen Hinata so youthfully determined or such a man willing to fight for their lover! This was… beautiful!

For one reason or another, the fact that the man was a demon completely slipped his mind as he stood hastily to his feet, ran to the couple, and embraced them both with a squeal of joy.

"Hinata! You have found true love! Oh, I am so proud of you! And you! You… YOSH!"

He held them close to him, Hinata blushing as she thanked him in her tiny voice and Naruto looking at him with confusion. It didn't last long. Lee found himself being hugged back by the blonde, a large smile on the demon's face.

"Thanks!"

Sky blue eyes went from him to Hinata, and then passed them to the redhead. Those same eyes widened in disbelief.

"What are you doing here!?"

Again, there was familiarity in his tone, but no hostility. As if he just couldn't believe that the other demon was here, but it was welcomed anyway.

Lee turned around to watch the redhead tilt his head in acknowledgment.

"Madara."

It was all he said, and, apparently, it was all he needed to say. All at once, Lee was holding Hinata in his arms alone, blinking in bewilderment down at her before releasing her to turn back to the two. From down the field, he heard Neji snarl.

"So, the shadow lord is still alive? How curious fate is… Perhaps you will be his next target, Uzumaki."

Naruto threw a dirty look at Neji before turning back to the redhead, speaking in an urgent quick tone.

"What did he do? When did he attack? Did he get you again? How the hell are you out of there!? Hasn't he figured out he can't kill you yet?!"

Lee studied the redhead's face as the questions were rapidly shot at him. The demon seemed to dismiss what he felt he did not need to answer as he stared levelly across at Naruto.

"He made a way."

Blue-green eyes stared into obsidian orbs tellingly. Lee gulped at Naruto turned slowly to look at him, confusion on his face as he swung his head back and forth between him and the redhead.

"I don't get it! What, if he dies, you die with him?"

It was obviously a joke, because than he laughed, a large grin on his face. Lee choked even as the redhead continued to stare blandly at him.

"Yes."

_That_ simple!

For a long moment, Naruto continued to smile at the redhead, the word not seeming to get through to him. Then it hit him.

'WHAT!!?!"

Suddenly, the blonde did not seem so happy to have been hugged by Lee earlier, turning back to him with a dark glare on his face.

"What did you do?"

Lee went cold at the deep growl.

"N-Naruto… H-he's a friend of m-mine! H-he would never d-do something like that!"

"He is the victim in this."

Came the dark and raspy tone of the redhead, making Lee look at him. He met jade green eyes in the process. The redhead did not release his gaze, even as he continued to speak to Naruto.

"Which is why I must borrow the use of your lover. We must counter this…"

Naruto blinked, then nodded his head, his jaw tense and his eyes hard.

"Yeah… How the hell did he do it? … Where the hell is your heartbeat!?"

The question addled Lee, forcing him to release the redhead's gaze to stare at Naruto with a confounded look.

"Eh?"

He asked intelligently.

"…"

The redhead continued to stare at him, as if he was the answer to every question and he was too subdued to his fate to feel anything for it. Naruto, once again, followed his stare to Lee.

"Hey, that's not funny, man. What the hell happened?"

"He used my most recent blood exchange to transfer my heart and soul into another being."

It was the longest sentence Lee had heard the demon speak the whole night… It actually perplexed him. Then the words broke through.

He stared blankly at the redhead for long, _long_ moments… His mind blank as he blinked stupidly. Naruto himself did not seem to know how to take that, nor the suddenly silent Hyuugas.

"… Well, Lee… I am attempting to decide whether or not or not to kill you right now…"

There was no anger to Neji's voice, only a mocking tone Lee was all too familiar with. His face snapped around to the Hyuuga, an angry pout on his lips.

"Neji, you know I am a close friend of yours! Do not tease me when the threat is serious!"

The Hyuuga sighed as he stood gracefully to his feet, sliding his hands into the large sleeves of his formerly white robe in a habit of his.

"I was actually debating it, but I doubt it would work."

His lilac gaze flickered to the suddenly keen redhead, blue-green eyes staring evenly into lilac eyes.

"… Yes, I would fail if I ever attempted to twist such fate into my own beliefs…. Tell me, Lee…"

The Hyuuga walked so close to Lee, who now stood on his feet as well, the raven could feel the other's breath over his ear. He wasn't bothered by it, not really. At some points in their friendship, Neji always got uncomfortably close so as not to be overheard.

"… Tenten?"

Lee smiled a sad smile.

"She has become quite close to the taro deck you gave her."

Which was enough to make the proud Hyuuga himself look distant and upset, if not subtly so. Once upon a time, Tenten had had the guts to laugh at Neji and his never dying faith in fate, her belief being that life was spontaneous and could never be foreseen. Not even with their religion did she believe so. She had dutifully put on the brown robes of someone who worked with animals, just to get out of having to do taro or other divinations. Now… It was impossible to stop her from her readings.

"I see… What has she foreseen?"

He attempted to sound as if he did not care, but Lee could tell otherwise. It was in how his eyes hardened, as if to try and hide the sudden vulnerability within in.

"I do not know. She will not tell us a thing of what she sees!"

He gave a small forced laugh.

"She is just as stubborn as ever…"

There was a small moment of reminiscing of their old friendship.

"Oy! We're over here!"

Lee snapped out of his daze and Neji scowled. Hinata was nodding her head, as if there was an informative conversation going about in her mind.

"I-I think th-there may be a w-way to solve this… I think that m-maybe the spell is t-too strong for a normal c-counter spell, but there is a-always a way to reverse a-any spell! We have to think p-positive!"

Lee punched his fist into the air, his eyes glistening with pride.

"Yosh! Remember, Hinata, the glass is half full! Never half empty!"

"Yeah! What the fuzzy browed guy said! Better believe it!"

Lee's fist wilted as he looked to the blonde with confused hurt.

"What?"

"I-if it is alright, I-I would like your help, L-Lee…"

A small smile came across her face.

"It h-has been a l-long time since we last built a-a circle together, n-neh?"

Lee sighed as he reflected back.

"Oh, it feels as if it has been too long! Lead the way, Hinata!"

She did so, Neji keeping pace with her to glare at Naruto who walked on her other side. The whole walk, they glared fire, daggers, and bullets at each other, their auras so intense with fury and hatred, Lee had to look away. Instead, he studied the redheaded demon who walked by his side. He gave an irritated sigh.

"You will not give me your name because names are empowering?"

The demon said nothing, but did connect gazes with Lee, his eyes answering a simple 'yes'. Lee gave him the same angry pout he had given Neji earlier.

"Then I shall have to create a nickname for you! I cannot go about calling you redhead and… and, well…"

"Demon."

Lee nodded.

"What would you rather I call you?"

"… Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters!"

"Then call me by a name of your own creation."

His bland bored tone told Lee that he was not going to get anywhere with his. His eyes narrowed in though even as he sighed tiredly, wrapping his arms about his waist as he gave a thoughtful hum.

"Fine then… I shall call you…"

'_Only love may enter, only love may leave…'_

… Yes… the opening blessing for the circle… Lee's gaze flickered to the redhead. No… the other would never let him… Besides, what madness had made that word come to him? And it was madness, he was nearly positive of it…

"Love."

The redhead paused. Naruto paused. The Hyuuga's paused. The trees paused. _Everything_ paused.

There was his back meeting a nearby tree and a clawed hand wrapped firmly about his neck. Eyes, blazing a mix between blue-green and gold, stared dead into his.

"Pick another."

His voice was like the hoarse scream of a shrilling wind, deep, low, whispery, and frightening. Lee stood his ground… or as close as he could get to standing his ground, seeing as how he was held up from it.

"Hey, red, don't do that!"

"I will do as I please."

Lee choked around his constricted throat.

"You… Love…"

Because he would not question the sudden insight of what seemed right. Wiccans were encouraged to follow instinct, to do as their hearts pleaded, as long as it harmed _no one_. If he suddenly had the desire to dance naked in the forest, would that harm any? Of course not. If he suddenly wished to sing a song with the fairies, would that harm none? Never. If he wished to name a nameless demon 'Love', was that wrong? Apparently so, but it didn't _feel _wrong, and that was what kept him sure.

A hand curled around the wrist holding him up, Naruto's face invading his darkening vision as the blonde growled at the demon.

"Let him go, you already said you can't kill him."

"What a comforting thought."

Neji's mocking voice was shushed by Hinata.

He refused to look away from blue-green gold eyes, making certain that his iron will could be seen through his own gaze.

"Love…"

The eyes seemed to become a more pronounced gold before finally dimming, swirling back into sea foam. The hand released him slowly, the fingertips feathering over his pulse to press there for a moment.

"Idiot."

Lee blinked, not at the name, but at a very sudden realization. Earlier, when the redhead had 'kissed' him, his skin and lips had been freezing, as if the demon were on the verge of death….

Why was his skin suddenly so warm? Not warm as it should be, more like lukewarm, but… ?

He touched the back of the hand over his pulse with his fingers, his gaze curious as he continued to hold the other's gaze.

"What is this…Love?"

… Yes, that did sound right… Though possibly a bit more intimate than Lee would like them to think…

Darkly shadowed eyes narrowed somewhat.

"My hand."

Lee's face became red.

"I know that! I mean-… Why is it suddenly warm? You were practically freezing earlier."

Love looked from him to their hands and then to the still close by blonde before once again meeting Lee's gaze.

"I breathed from my heart and soul."

His hand moved, wrapping around the back of Lee's neck, confusing the raven as to what he was doing. Then Lee blinked, aware of a faint, very faint, but still there, aura arising from the redhead. His eyes widened as he felt heat rise into his face. No way… Nuh uh, not happening!

He heard Neji snarl, seeing the Hyuuga turn away in his peripheral vision.

"That is sick."

Purple, red, green, and gold were emerging in Love's aura. Purple meaning powerful, red meaning lust, green meaning pleasure, and gold meaning dominant.

Lee really didn't want to have to figure it out, but… He would say that the redhead was now horny, and who he was horny for was in for a world of pain… What worried him was that the redhead had not looked away from him, nor was he the least bit ashamed of his arousal.

Naruto turned away, muttering 'Did NOT have to see that' under his breath as he trudged back to the blushing Hinata.

"If you don't stop defying me, you will pay the consequences…"

His eyes narrowed.

"Or would you like that?"

Lee's mouth gaped open and shut as the aura pulsed around him, so heavy he could taste the lust on his tongue and feel it like a heat wave around him. Just as quickly, though, it dissipated, leaving behind a blank redhead and three very unsettled companions as well as one highly confused Lee.

Love's gaze flickered from Lee to Hinata as he stepped back, finally letting the uncertain raven free.

"…"

Hinata gulped as she looked away, her head tucking into Naruto's shoulder as she bounced her pointer fingers off of each other.

"R-right, let's-s g-get to the c-circle… Q-quickly…"

* * *

… -.-; This took me two days to write… I'm trying to get to the stage in the story where I have a faint idea of what I'm doing, but it's not quite getting there yet. No worries, I don't give up on stories easily. *sigh* Please, just trudge along with me as I try to turn this into something good… Please tell me if the story sucks or not, I don't feel so certain of this one…

On a better note! O.O Did Lee name Gaara Love? Hhhhmmm… What was slipped into his dinner that night? (not literally) And 'Love' lusts for Lee? Because of his defiance? Ooooh, the plot thickens! Neji is such an ass, isn't he?


	5. O! That Gnome

Lee was dumbstruck, his mouth gaping open as he stared at Naruto who was asking Hinata what they were going to do….

While in the circle… _In_ the circle! Was this… No, this was… Is that possible?

His gaze swung from Love, who remained on the outside border of the circle, to Naruto, who stood almost in the center of it, making a face of understanding as Hinata finally got through to him what they were doing. It wasn't like Hollywood, where the protective circle would make any bad people who tried to enter burn and burst into flames or fly backwards. Wicca had one law that encompassed their every other law: 'And it harms none'. Whether it be a bad person or a good one, it harmed none.

No, the circle merely acted as a wall… A warning for some, and indestructible to others. Outside the circle looking in, Love looked intensely blank and Neji increasingly annoyed.

"Oh! I get it! How the hell's that gonna work?"

Naruto finished curiously, scratching the back of his head as he peeked into Hinata's book of spells. He looked painfully confused, if Lee were to have to guess. Hinata gave a small laugh, as if what she saw was very endearing.

"H-hopefully, it will work r-right… L-Lee? Please come here…"

Lee blinked and did so, still so awfully confused as to how a demon was inside the circle while an equally powerful one was unable to enter. Hinata seemed to catch onto that, a small blush forming over her cheeks as she looked shyly away.

"Only love may e-enter… Only love m-may leave… It… It never a-actually said anything a-about keeping d-demons out… Only the l-loveless…"

Lee tensed, looking over his shoulder at the redhead who held his gaze calmly.

'_There is a reason for everything we do… We alone have the power to change that… Nothing is set in stone, but we never know what our fate is until we have lived it… I called him Love… and that is exactly what he is without…'_

"Lee…"

Hinata took a deep, cleansing breath, stepping before the raven haired boy with athame in hand and her book of spells in the other.

"… Beautiful…"

Lee flinched at his coven name, pain entering his gaze as he bowed his head in acknowledgment. Everyone was given a name used by their coven alone… Most chose their own names, but every once in a while, the high priestess, high priest, or closest bond-relative would choose one for the newly welcomed…

Lee's had been chosen by his uncle, the last relative he had by blood. Being called by his coven name… Made him slightly frightened that he may not return to it…

"… Moon Shine…"

He returned, his voice filled with respect. After all, the Hyuugas were, in themselves, very powerful users of magic. Highly powerful and overly sensitive to the auras of others.

Hinata smiled a sad smile, most likely able to read his fear through his emotions.

"Don't w-worry, B-Beautiful… I'll m-make sure you g-get home…"

He slid his eyes shut as she touched a finger to his forehead, beginning a chant as she pulled out mugwort, thyme, anise, and acacia from a herb bag over her shoulders. Herbs of divination.

"I… I'm going to see wh-what's connecting y-you two first b-before I try and b-break the bond… If I d-don't, you two could g-get very hurt…"

He smiled comfortingly. Hinata handed the herbs over to Naruto, who had produced a small bowl and began to crush the plants in it, his energy leaking out to blend in with the mix.

"I understand, Moon Shine…"

* * *

'Love' watched from the outside of the circle. Trust was being exercised, he could see. It was… pathetic, how easily they trusted one another. And, Naruto, to blindly give out his name… Not only to a magic user, but to also a magic user that despised him. It was all around stupid.

"Now, how would Madara catch you a second time, hm?"

The tone of the other's voice was superior and mocking, as if he thought the demon weak for such repeats.

He didn't answer. There was no point in telling the smug man that Deidara, the same demon that had attacked Lee just that night, had captured the redhead somewhere between a century and an eon ago. It was almost irritating, truly… He had nearly died that time, believed himself to be dead… Deidara had been extremely powerful back then, older than even him and with a much more destructive attitude. Had he had the same madness that had coerced through his veins only decades before the blonde's attack, he could have possibly won…

This time, however… The blonde had been weak, unfocused, _unhinged_… The attack that had left him nearly disembodied so long ago had been dimmed by madness, pride, and gluttony…

Gaara had not expected it to be so easy… He had honestly expected an epic battle that would drain him of his energy, if not leave him immobile on the ground, therefore dead when Deidara would surpass him to finish off the raven haired boy.

No… He should have realized that Deidara would be weaker… Increasingly weaker than their last encounter… Demons rarely took on mates… if ever. Yet, when they did, it was stupidity to come between them. Demons were highly possessive, meaning that anyone who even dared to touch what belonged to them were suicidal imbeciles. Demons without mates could care less about who they had sexual intercourse with or who they killed or what sex they murdered. Demons with mates could very quickly be there and then gone, leaving behind hundreds of slaughtered bodies if who they had chosen were even insinuated to be in another relationship, or had even been touched by another. If that made demons highly insecure, then so be it. It was the truth. Demons who were not mated were highly independent, able to go centuries if their entire life without seeing another being unless it was to assuage their own selfish needs. Demons with mates could not go even a few hours without assuring themselves that their mates were being faithful, safe, and close by.

Some were the exact opposite, encouraging their mate to separate often so as not to end up ripping each other apart and to develop other relationships. Some preferred that their mates only have sex with humans so as not to feel threatened, some would rather kill their mates than have them set their eyes on weak mortals. It all depended on the couple, but majority was that mated demons were insecure murderous possessive bastards.

Just like Deidara and Sasori… Sasori, another demon of the sands that 'Love' had faced off with centuries ago around the time he had faced off with Deidara… Except he, an aged crone, and a wiccan girl had been able to bring down the other demon. It was why Deidara had been so violent when bringing him down the first time, coming the closest anyone had ever came to killing him.

Apparently, Madara had thought it would work a second time… That, or he had something planned… A genius like him should know better than to send a distraught demon for something so dangerous…

What ever Neji had been saying to him in the time he had reflected back, it was lost on him, only suddenly returning to reality with the gasp of Naruto's lover, her eyes wide and one hand clutching her heart.

In the next moment, Gaara was hissing out, clutching at his own as Lee fell unconscious to the ground. He growled at the abrupt fire where his non-beating heart rested.

Metaphorically, Lee had his heart. In all actuality, his heart's life was in Lee, not the organ itself… Had that been what had occurred, they would be dead by now. The demon's heart, in order to beat so slow, was larger than the human heart and shaped differently to limit blood flow.

"What have you done?"

He hissed at the woman, his eyes threatening to murder her once she stepped outside the circle. Instantly, he was face to face with an equally raged blonde, the other's sky blue eyes throbbing and then brightening, become blood red in their intensity.

"Don't touch her, okay! It's not her fault!"

He looked willing to fight his case, and that was what made Gaara bite back his next growl and halt his violent needs. He held respect for the other demon, hard earned, seeing as how the blonde had had to kick his ass back when he had still been new and filled with hateful energy. The demon before him, no matter how goofy, stupid, and downright of a fool he was, was one that Gaara had no dream of even defeating. Only the blonde before him knew his real name anymore, everyone who had once known dead by hands of other's or time.

From within the circle, the woman began to cry softly, trying to choke it back as she dropped to her knees and stroked back Lee's hair.

"I-I don't know wh-what to do for th-this! They are l-literally b-bound in every s-sense of the word!"

She met 'Love's' eyes ashamedly.

"I-I'm sorry, but the b-best thing you could have done f-for either of you was to s-stay away!"

"What are you talking about?"

Neji's voice was highly annoyed, his arms crossed across his chest and his eyes shut.

"… Wh-when you… well, k-kissed him… Y-you completed the b-bond…"

Her words were directed at the redhead, though her gaze was on Lee. The fact that she had derived that made her more powerful than he had given her credit for… Perhaps Naruto was not such a fool.

"You d-did it to s-steal life back into y-your own body, b-but I think that was the trap… I'm s-sorry… but I d-don't know a way of how t-to break the bond…"

Her hands trembled.

"Without m-making it worse…"

* * *

O.o Are they going to find a way out of this? Did this chapter completely suck? I'm not so certain of the first, but it is a most definite yes for the second! I'm still waiting to get into the flow for this one… It's different for me, somehow… I think it's because I expect it to be action packed, but I suck at action, so… Eventually, I have to get this right… Eventually…


	6. Himself

"Will you return me to my coven?"

Those were the first words out of Lee's mouth as 'Love' joined him on the balcony of the Hyuuga's manner.

Lee sat on the ground, the Hyuuga hounds around him in a comfortable dog pile, each canine tall enough standing on their hind legs to topple him over had that been their wish except for a weimaraner and two bulldogs. Neji had warned him earlier that the two of the Dobermans were vicious hunters and untrained for the human touch. Those same two dogs rested with their heads comfortably on Lee's lap, panting happily with their tiny clipped tails wagging. It was only once Love joined them that they began to growl, snarling up at the redhead as they held their ground, their dark eyes ferocious.

The other five dogs were completely content, though their ears perked and their bodies tensed momentarily. They had been raised around magic, as well as occasionally visited by Naruto, so chances were that they were calmer around demons than they would be around civilians.

It was asked in a desperate tone, nor did he feel despair. If Love would not return him, he would find his own way… Yet, that was the question of the morning, wasn't it? His life was twined with that of a demon who was most likely wanted dead by a very long list of people… If he went back to his coven, he would be endangering them…

He watched the sun rise with baited breath, the demon to his back as he waited for an answer.

"… No."

He released his breath with a long sigh. Relief and pain swirled through his heart. In his perephereal vision, he saw the redhead's eyelids flicker. He frowned.

"… Is this becoming stronger!?"

He asked in a near hoarse voice, staring fully at the redhead now.

"This bond… Is it?"

Darkly shadowed eyes met his, as they always did when he stared at them.

"… Yes… And it will become more so in another moment."

Lee blinked, eyebrows drawing slightly together in weary confusion as he wrapped his arms around a rottweiler's neck, holding the large beast to him. He actually preferred the smaller creatures when he wished to have the company of animals, but he enjoyed the presence of dogs just as much.

"How so?"

Not only did the two Doberman snarl when the redhead stepped that much closer to them, they leaped to their feet and practically roared at him, the fur of their backs high and their sharp teeth exposed.

Lee rested a hand to each of their shoulders, stroking the fur gently as he murmured softly to them. His mind reached out pass the words, creaking open the supposed 'door' in his mind so he could feel the presence of the two dogs in his mind as well as under his palms.

Creatures were highly intelligent, much more so than the common passerby gave them credit for. They may not know the human tongue, but they understood emotion. Using that, he spoke to them, hushing them with great care until they were both curled up against his lap once more, their eyes weary upon the demon, but no longer furious.

Lee frowned up at the redhead. He awaited an answer as Love stepped easily over one Doberman so he stood directly above Lee, his jade blue gaze looking down upon the raven haired boy. Lee cocked his head curiously.

"Love, what are you -"

His cheeks were painted red as his large eyes widened to perfect circles. _Freezing_ cold lips, fingers that felt as if they had sat on ice for _days_, were touching him now, the lips over his and the fingers keeping him looking upward. His mouth gaped open in shock, which allowed the redhead to fit his lips over his more comfortably. Against his mouth, Love began to breathe deeply, just as he had the night before while doing this same thing.

The pulsing began once more, a gentle throb deep within him. It felt as if there was something rising from his very soul up into the motions, leaving his mouth with a near burning sensation.

Lee couldn't breathe, not if his life depended on it. The entire process of it had completely slipped his mind as his hands clenched in the short fur of the Dobermans. His mind tried to find a way to handle the suddenness of the intimate attack, pulling up random knowledge to try and distract his quickly fogging mind-… and focused on how warm the redhead was becoming against him. The lukewarm temperature he had been last night was _nothing_ compared to the heat rolling off of the redhead now! It made his blood boil in too good a way to be painful…

His hands rose weakly, uncertain whether he was going to try and stop the fire or bring it closer. Around them, the dogs began to growl in almost unison One after another, their heads rose to release battle cries, snarling in between each howl. His hands wound into the red fabric of the other's coat, fingers tangling into the folds of it as he pushed himself up against the inferno, still feeling the sensation of suddenly not being _just_ himself any more.

"What… is this?"

Lee whimpered as he twisted his face away, sucking in his first breath of air in what felt like an eternity. Above him, Love watched him with so much _lust_ and _desire_, Lee could feel it crawling over his own skin, making him whimper one last time before he could clamp down on his raging need. He had to shut his eyes for a moment, unable to watch the red roll off of the demon as the color swirled and danced with green and purple.

The demon wanted to dominate him… and Lee wanted to let him do it _so_ badly!

He peeked around the demon's frame, his face still cherry red as he continued to pant, the dogs around him calming as he calmed. His face fired up anew, but not with arousal nor embarrassment.

With shame.

Neji looked down at him from the open doors, disgust on his face and his entire posture degrading Lee for what the brunette had just witnessed.

"Lee?"

His voice was dark with repulsion and loathing, as if he officially _despised_ the raven in that moment.

"Hyuuga."

The tone was deadpan and raspy as it always was, like brushing off a rock in an echo chamber.

"Do not attempt to exert your dominance over my charge."

There was no threat to his voice. He made it sound as if he were merely stating a law that had always been there and always would be. Neji scowled deeply at the redhead.

"_Your_ charge? Now that fate has connected your lives together till death, he has meaning to you?"

The Hyuuga gave a snort.

"Of course you are… Demons only care for their own gain, it would be a shame if Lee died and you were dragged to hell with him."

Lee flinched, his eyes widening with the insult on both of them.

"Neji!"

His voice was a harsh whisper. Around him, the dogs responded to his feelings of hurt and buried anger by snarling at the Hyuuga, their long time master. In not even hours, their unwavering loyalty had switched to 'Beautiful', the care the boy took with them greater than that the brunette had ever given them… No, the drastic difference between them could not even be compared!

Their emotions swirled and fogged Lee's mind, making him growl as well with their overwhelming emotions of distrust and anger. Neji had never understood the wiccan ways, even if he had never gone out of his way to defy them. No, his mind had always been set into divination…

Everything else, Lee knew now, could go and rot as far as the Hyuuga cared.

Animals who were never to be broken in their religion, but befriended, had been forced to tame beneath Neji's hand. Family that should have been loved were forcefully pushed aside. Lee was disgusted with what he could interpret from their emotions! All of these crimes!

He felt himself become physically ill, having to lean against Love to keep himself from either charging Neji or collapsing onto the ground.

"Neji…"

This time, his voice _was_ a dark deep growl, his teeth bared at the Hyuuga as each dog around him reacted more violently to the brunette's appearance than even Love's.

"You have _no_ right to be disgusted by what you have seen now… Not with what you have done."

He had always pushed the limits of Neji, had always refused to allow himself to become the dead last the Hyuuga always threatened he would become. He had never, however, lost his temper with the proud boy.

His fury seemed to attach itself to Love. The fingers still holding his chin clenched and blue-green eyes flashed a deep golden.

"_Leave_."

Neji scowled at both of them, attempting to make his stumble off of the balcony look like a graceful sweep out of their presence at Love's deadly tone.

"Who are you telling to leave, demon? This is my home. Both of you can leave before afternoon, can't you?"

He questioned in a sickly sweet tone and a smirk.

"N-no, Neji, they d-don't have to leave…"

Hinata swept in behind her cousin and then passed him, her hands brushing over the muzzles of each dog till she stood by Lee's and Love's side, a small smile on her face. Aggressive instinct faded from Lee's mind as each dog calmed and loyally followed their mistress back to Lee, their minds filled to the brim with loyalty, love, and kindness for the female.

"I-I have rooms prepared f-for both of you… S-separate, but r-right next to each other…"

Lee took a deep breath as he blinked up at Hinata. He returned her smile full wattage as he practically swept to his feet.

"Yosh, Hinata!…"

Suddenly, the whole night crashed over him like a tidal wave. Having someone else try to kill him… Having the person who had nearly killed him save him… Having his first kiss stolen only hours ago and his second one sear through his very veins. Wiccans were open with their sexuality, never judgmental of others and their sex life. There was actually a rune depicting both lesbian relations and gay relations separately. Love was magic, as any book of shadows would say. Making love made magic… Every wiccan was encouraged to create magic, but never outside what they were comfortable…

Lee had felt encouraged to keep that moment of pure, beautiful magic for when he felt being _in _love would make it all the more powerful. The intimacy… seemed to be necessary, he realized as he used Love's arm to pull himself up and felt the lava-like heat that continued to flow from the redhead. If Love was bothered by his spike of temperate, he did not show it… Then again, he was a demon of the sands… Being freezing cold must have been uncomfortable for him…

He shook his head slightly as he followed Hinata passed Neji with Love on his heels, taking a deep sigh as his eyes slid tiredly shut.

It was all wearing down at him, like the wind wore down on the mountains, but at a much faster rate.

* * *

*raises hands proudly into the air* I AM SEMI-PROUD OF THIS CHAPTER!!! If for nothing else than the kiss ^///^. I had it a different way, but it didn't feel right, so I gave it a different ending.


	7. The Lady Of The Harvest

He rested still on the balcony, standing on the thin rail that separated the small platform from empty air. His stare was focused on the ahead of himself to the waxing crescent of the glowing blue moon.

A day had passed since he had last drank from his soul, last felt the burning desire and hot lust for another being.

It was possible it had not been his own. At the same moment, it was just as possible it had been his own. It was even more likely it had been both of them, feeding off of each other as he had been feeding from the boy, holding off 'death' that much longer.

The essence was his soul had faded from his own lungs and heart, leaving everything dead and cold within him once more. The night was warm, but the air still frosted as he breathed without needing to but finding it just as pointless not to.

The day had been… uneventful, if ever it could be put that way when Naruto was attempting to murder the Hyuuga while the Hyuuga continued to call his own family a concubine, a whore, a fornicator, and a disappointment though that same woman was his heiress and high priestess.

The human… Lee… 'Beautiful'… had been…

Clingy, if a better word could not be found. Yes, the human was still upset and confused over one thing or another, but he hid it well, finding reasons to smile and laugh as if the world held no ill will for him or himself.

It crawled down his spine, a shiver of need. He turned his face over his shoulder, his eyes flickering from jade blue to golden in but a second as the moon struck them at an angle before becoming their original color. His mouth gaped open, a pleased 'ah' escaping his throat as he landed soundlessly upon the balcony floor, wandering back into the midst of those asleep and those on the verge of it.

The thrill of lust drove straight to his cock, sliding down the nape of his neck like a caress.

His charge was having an interesting dream, it seemed… This was a side affect of humanity he had long since forgotten.

The want became a sweet pain in his groin, the eager flesh rubbing against the seam of his pants, friction with each step.

Had anyone looked upon him, they would have seen his blank face, swift yet graceful walk, and then turned away red in the face upon their gazes settling on the bulge pushing out from between his legs…

_Had_ anyone been looking upon him… in any place but here. Here, they would sooner lose their eyes, their precious eyes that saw more than any other wiccan, than keep their stare on him.

The door opened easily, the human must never having heard of the term 'lock the door'. On the bed, writhing, sweating, and red, was the Lee boy he was bound to live with and die with.

… What an interesting being… An innocent bystander who asked for none of this yet received the worst of it. A delicious parcel that had lent his hand out to a stranger in the dark of the full moon and had nearly lost his arm and leg. A dark creature of light qualities.

He stroked two fingers down the boy's throat, watching as the raven haired child -and he was a child, as far as he could be concerned with how many centuries and millenniums he had lived- made a high-pitched wail and leaned into the touch, hands coming up to grip his own and press it against fever hot skin.

… Yes, his charge was having a wet dream… Who did he dream of? Who rode him in his fantasies? Or did he dominate this being he dreamed of? Watching as the boy thrust his hips back, as if to urge someone's touch deeper into himself, he doubted he dominated anyone in the realm he rested in now.

The fire engulfed his belly, clenching the muscles there viciously as a snarl worked it's way to his lips. He held it, staring down at the boy's gaping mouth and thrusting hips, how his honey tanned skin flushed and his lean body twisted.

A masterwork of scar, tissue, and muscle, synchronized and harmonized in it's search of ultimate pleasure, it's need for an end that would be of ecstasy and peace…

When had been the last time he had ever searched for such? Possibly when he had been young and foolish. He remembered barely long brown hair and naïve stupidity.

His eyes slid shut as he shook violently for only a second, his neck angling to the side as he bared fangs.

It flashed through his mind; hot sea foam eyes that demanded and overpowered, a pain that had began horrid becoming something undeniable as the nightmare that had been their first meeting for this boy was distorted and altered into a night of suffocating heat and loud echoing cries coupled with low growling roars.

The boy's fantasy was of him. How this was so, why it was so, was beyond his understanding. The mind bond may have perverted the boy or possibly he was so inclined that way, therefore dreaming of the man who had 'kissed' him.

Perhaps he should stop thinking and control his hands.

They had wondered without his knowledge, only knowing that he himself had gained this same want and wished to dispel it in the most natural, most glorious way as this boy reached to do as well. One had wondered down his own pants, gripping his hard and aching length shamelessly as he teased himself. The other hand had wondered to the length pulsing between his charge's legs.

There was a long, almost deafening, keening sound from the boy as he arched his hips forward, bucking wildly into his hand until he came in a spurt of essence and a cry of childish joy.

Now that the heat was fading from his charge, gripping himself was useless, his erection dead. His body was too cold to even entertain such thoughts of pleasure and pain, his mind too old to care to try.

At least now his charge would sleep peacefully throughout the night without bothering him.

He turned his back on the boy.

"Mmmwah?"

He was given pause, his eyes flickering over his shoulder to watch one eye open blearily. In the dark of the room, he was watched and then dismissed as a shadow, not even the bright blood red of his hair caught by the boy's drowsy attention.

"Mmmm…."

The obsidian eyed boy curled into himself, red and relaxed in the afterglow of cumming. His hands folded together before his lips, catching a long breathy moaning yawn as the boy nuzzled his face into the pillow, a small smile gracing his softly bruised lips, most likely having bitten them in his sleep.

He was a demon, simply as that. There was no excuse for him, and he would not used it had one been at the ready. He was a demon. Demons simply took.

His moment of selfishness was rewarded with a sigh of happiness, the boy curving his neck back submissively so that his access to the raven boy's lips was easier, allowing him into his mouth easily where he drank life into himself with greedy pulls, one of his pale hands titling the boy's honey skinned jaw to make the reach that much deeper.

It flowed into him, so much hotter than when he had only done so mechanically twice before. It punched him in the gut like warm wine, fizzling his taste buds like rum and blood.

How sweet this boy was… Giving without knowing to a heartless monster of even demons.

He took more than needed, lingering for the intoxicating spicy and sugary taste of the boy himself, playing with lips and tongue as the boy whimpered beneath his ancient touch.

He separated from the boy with a sigh of regret, stroking back sweaty raven locks as he did so, as if to comfort the still sleeping boy. The boy… 'Lee'… leaned into the touch, welcoming it with a small smile, his bruised lips now more plump and swollen than before.

None the wiser.

He left the room silently, leaving behind no mark of himself except for on his charge. In the hall, his eyes met those of sky blue.

"What the hell were you doing in there!?" Naruto attempted to stare him down as if he thought it would work for the first time in their companionship. "That's a friend of my girlfriend, got that!? I don't care what's keeping you together, just don't screw with him!…"

His hairless brow twitched, watching the blonde's expression go blank and then horrified.

"I didn't mean that literally! It's just… You've hurt him bad enough, got it? Hinata said that you two might get confused 'cause of all the emotions going on from one of you to the other, but it's not real! Just… You know… Don't screw with him!" Naruto's finger came within the width of a hair from the bridge of his noise, a growl on his lips. "And that time, I meant it how it sounded!"

He reached up… And suddenly Naruto was a cursing twisting body midair, his shoulder blades popping out of place and fingers bending in odd directions as his legs twined together and then reached pressed into the blonde's back. Each curse was silent, however, meant only for their ears alone.

Yes, Naruto was loud. Yes, Naruto was stronger than him and always would be. No, Naruto was not going to risk waking up the household. No, he had not won this small momentary war.

"I respect you, Naruto. Do not destroy that fragile bond by attempting to turn that respect into a war of mastership."

The blonde hissed long and low, eyes flickering red as the dim light of the halls reflected off of them, the whisker like scars on each of his cheeks seeming to deepen and stretch beneath it's glow.

"Gaa-ra…" The blonde cursed as his neck was curved at an impossible angle, his jaw cracking as it was forced out of place. "G-aa-rrrr-a…"

The blonde fell to the ground, fingering his jaw after a moment as he gave another curse, flexing one hand as he bent his knees to make certain they were back where they should be. Next, Naruto turned a glare up at him, a snarl deep on his lips as he stood angrily to his feet and put himself right into his face.

"Gaara."

He left the blonde alone in the hall, reappearing on the balcony rail as he stared up at the moon, having hardly moved in his absence.

… Names were empowering…

And he had empowered the wrong person with it too many years ago to count. Only one person alive now knew it, and that was the person who had just broken the unspoken law between them.

_Do not speak his name three times…_

* * *

_I'm proud of how I wrote this chapter… Truly, I am. I feel as if I spoke old world, yet I know I didn't quite do that. 83 Lee's going to be very embarrassed and confused in the morning, will he not? At least now we know who Love is._


	8. Spirit Dancer

Lee woke up happy, content, relaxed… and with a messy problem.

He blushed red as he looked down at the white sticky goo now pasted onto the blankets and the night clothes that had been lent to him. Quickly, before all else, he gathered all of the dirty materials together, putting them into one large pile before slipping into his clothes and hurriedly making his way down to the laundry room he had been showed the day before when getting his own clothes cleaned.

It was with a sigh of relief that he realized he was alone. Throwing the blankets and clothes into two separate washers, he put in the detergent and then set them up, taking a step back once done.

How could he have done that while not even in his own room!? Yes, he had had wet dreams before… It was a part of being a teenage boy, was it not? It was not something he could control!… Well… He could, but that would be… Well…

He did not know why he truly did not try any way to stop the wet dreams. There were spells in the book of shadows as well as his own BOS to stop dreams… and nightmares…

He shoved the thought aside in favor of trying to remember what (or who… Goddess forbid…) his dream had been of.

"What are you doing?"

He gave a small squeak as he spun around, one arm flung before himself and the other gripping the pentagram beneath his shirt. He took a long shuddering breath as his hands fell limp to his sides.

"Love, please do not sneak up on me!"

The other stared blankly at him, blue-green eyes unblinking upon him.

"What were you doing?"

Lee went tense, looking slowly behind him to the washer machines.

"… I was doing laundry…"

The other tilted his head upward, looking at Lee through half opened eyes.

"Why for? The four articles of clothing you wore here have been burnt and replaced. There are no clothes for you to wash so early in the morning."

Which was true, actually. Hinata, out of the kindness of her heart and tenderness of her love, could not let a dear friend walk about in bloodied ripped clothes any longer, forcing him out of those (by way of Love, which was how the other knew exactly how much he had been wearing…), and then gotten him enough clothes to last two weeks, none of them certain for how long he would be staying. Lee had tried time and time again to stop wasting her money on him, going as far as to deny giving his measurements and sizes. Again, Love had given them up to Hinata with a dull tone as Neji stood beside Lee, his voice haughty as he agreed that Hinata should not waste their money on Lee.

Lee sputtered, his eyes zipping around the room to look at anything other than the demon.

"Well… You see… I… Uuuummmm…"

He froze, a shiver working down his spine and his eyes widening impossibly.

Love had tilted his chin down now, still staring at Lee from under his eyelids. However, it was the redhead's lips Lee had suddenly been captivated by; more specifically, watching the other flick his tongue over his upper lip and then watching as those same lips seemed to twist ever so cruelly upwards. The grin was… frightening, not even a grin, but a dangerous smirk that swore either blood would be shed or…

Fleetingly, Lee saw an image of hot jade blue eyes staring into his own, felt the rocking of another's hips as the other's length hit such a sweet throbbing spot within him.

The red, green, and purple was dim around the redhead, but it was there.

"How am I to see with you faltering so?"

Lee was horrified.

"Love… Are you teasing me!?"

"No."

The answer was almost instantaneous.

"I have no soul, remember?"

He leaned conspiringly into the boy, his lips pressed so close to Lee's ear, they touched his lobe.

"You _want_ me to tease you… And so I am…"

Lee shook his head hard, practically leaping away from the demon as one of the three washers, the one _not_ on, gave a resounding screeching sound before bellowing smoke. Lee looked from it to Love and then back again before grabbing his head in his hands and throwing it back.

"You are confusing me!"

Love looked blandly at the destroyed washer. That had not been of his doing. His gaze flickered back to his blushing red charge.

"I see this…"

Lee managed to take a few meditating breaths, only to give a small whimper as he stared at the now useless machine. How was he going to explain this!? Hopefully, Hinata could fix it… If not, Lee could chip in for them to buy a new one… Yes, there were three, but there was quite a large number of people in the home! From nine in the morning to nine at night, each washer and dryer were used without stop. It had been a fact he had picked up from the heiress the day before as well while in the room.

"… I shall fix that!"

He was poor in the art of mechanics, but he had been told he was excellent in repairing things! He stood before the destroyed scrap of metal and parts, focusing his mind as he imagined the washer in it's former glory. Mentally, he began to take it apart piece by piece until he was down to the smallest bit. He knew nothing of what the inside of a washer looked like, yet the image in his head was irrefutable

… He reached out to the machine, planning on following through with his crazed wiz idea.

He gave a yelp, his eyes flying open as he was suddenly no longer on the ground, but staring down at it. His breath escaped him in an 'oomph!' as the redhead shouldered him in a fireman hold and then walked casually out of the room.

"What are you doing!?"

Lee gave a defiant thump to the demon's back.

"I shall not stand for this! I can walk by myself, though I thank you for the consideration!"

He sounded sulky and unreasonable, even to his own ears.

"You're not standing for this."

The tone was not mocking, but just simply stating. Lee gave a small groan of despair.

"It is a figure of speech, Love!"

"I know."

Now, there was a tone of sarcasm to his voice.

'_I have no soul, remember?…' 'you want… so I am…'_

'… _This is NOT right!'_

He resigned himself with a thump of his forehead to Love's red cloaked shoulder blade, allowing his arms to hang down the redhead's back.

"Hey, red- HOLY FUCKING SHIT, RED!!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO SCREW WITH HIM, SO YOU GO AND KILL HIM!?!?… Wait… I thought you couldn't do that…"

There was dead silence as Lee peeked out from around Love's arm. Only the early birds were at the long breakfast table, Neji, Hinata, and Naruto among them… Though Naruto looked half asleep and was blinking dazedly at them, his eyes narrowed to slits as if he couldn't see them correctly. Behind him, Neji looked ready to hit his head off the table and Hinata looked softly despairing.

"N-Naruto… Beautiful is f-fine…"

The blonde blinked again, then gave a large grin.

"Hey, he is!"

In what would have been, had it been almost anywhere else or in any clearer state of mind, a clap of good faith, turned into a very _bad_ stroke of luck.

"Knew you'd make it through the night, fuzzy brows!"

'Fuzzy brows' was the less than flattering name the blonde demon had given him…

The resounding slap off of his buttocks was what nearly made him fall off of Love's shoulder, his body jolted so hard.

There was another dead silence, this one filled with static. Lee had turned his face away, now a cherry red once more.

"… I SO DID NOT MEAN THAT IN A GAY WAY!! Seriously, I've got Hinata! Not that you're not attractive, not that you _are_ attractive, just … -BLAH!"

He turned sharply on the now appalled looking Neji.

"Why did you wake me up so early, you jack ass!?!"

"… Naruto…"

Lee was set down onto his feet, giving a subtle nudge to stand behind the redhead. Naruto turned slowly and with a foreseeing expression of pain and fear on his face.

"… Yeah, red?"

"You touched my charge."

"… Y-yeah… Not in a gay way! Not that I have anything against gays either!… NOT HOW IT LOOKED!"

"… You… touched… my…"

The light was blinding and dangerously black as tendrils of rustling gold came out of every crease of the room, twisting and turning and bending over the blonde.

"Charge."

There was loud cursing from within the sand tomb.

Hinata had her a hand pressed to her gaping mouth, her eyes wide as she stared at her sand encased boyfriend.

"… L-Love, please l-let Naruto out…"

"He'll get out on his own eventually."

He turned only partly to Lee.

"Humans require food. Why aren't you eating?"

Lee gave a weak nod of acknowledgement as his mind tried to figure out what _that _had been. Their emotions were projected to each other, true… Yet he had had no urge of anger or pain upon Naruto's act, only embarrassment and mollified shock. … Had Love done that out of his own free will?

… That would mean that the redhead cared, because a slap to his butt, no matter how very degrading, was not going to kill him.

He gave the redhead a small smile as he went and sat by Hinata at the table.

"Please let Naruto go, Love."

"… Later…"

* * *

I had time to kill, so I wrote this now rather than later. A two for one? How sweet of me! No, not really… I was just making up for no updates yesterday as well as the fact that there are going to be fewer now that the weekend's just about up. Review for me, my pretties!


	9. The Singer Of Initiation

"We had a deal, Madara."

The shadow master gave a small pleasant laugh, his one red eye rolling to look at the blue-black haired boy who stood arrogantly in his presence.

"Did we now?"

Cold eyes, freez_i_ng eyes, filled with the black flames of hell, glared at him with bland contempt.

"I gave you the information you needed to kill your demon. Now you have to give me mine."

"And so a traitor tries to tell me what to do, I see?"

The other laughed, the sound childish in the small mountain cavern, echoing down a hundred undiscovered tunnels.

"How foolish of you, child… So anxious and impatient…"

Wisps of darkness rose from the shadow to curl almost intimately around the boy, the one red eye of the shadow master staring half-lidded at him.

"How cute…"

The boy narrowed his eyes.

In a flash of bright fire, the shadows were disengaged from the boy, falling and fading away as the shadow master gave a small laugh of amusement.

"Don't tease me, Madara. I want what was promised me."

Madara began to fade with the rest of his shadows, the flames from the boy reaching into the deepest crevices of the small cave.

"And so you will have it, Sasuke… You will have your demon once I kill my own…"

And then the boy was left alone in the now ablaze chamber, his dead black eyes staring contemptuously where the shadow master had stood.

"… I better, Madara, or I will find a way to capture him myself…"

* * *

"Where are they!?"

The girl crossed her arms impatiently over her chest, her eyes narrowed angrily and her cheeks puffed out. Around her, the trees seemed to twitch, groaning as they leaned away from her and the air about her crackled and sparked.

Lee could not help but give a small laugh. Hinata was right, she _was_ powerful!

"Be patient, child… Faeries are very shy folk, very small creatures… They will not come to you when you act so unwelcoming."

His voice was soft and patient, soothing to the listening ear. From near his head, a piece of moss seemed to give a slight pulse before lifting off of the tree it was attached to. The girl gaped as she watched a small purplish blue creature with long spindly limps and an onion shaped head dart out of hiding and circle Lee joyously, sounds of childish laughter rising from it.

She felt anger boiling up again, her small hands clenching.

"How are you doing that!?"

The faery jumped, looking back at her with a large frown before suddenly disappearing. If Lee was upset, he did not show it, only giving the girl a secretive smile.

"Hanabi… Have you ever listened to yourself breathe? Have you ever danced without even moving?"

The girl blinked, her face twisting into a scowl.

"Why would I do that?"

Lee's smile grew larger.

"That is the beautiful of the faery folk, my dear child! Dance! Sing! Laugh and Love! Enjoy a joke and be part of one!"

He tapped a finger to her nose.

"Let that song start as only a breath in your lungs. Let it grow until you feel the beat within you, until you feel a sound, and then release it."

The girl blinked.

"Why don't I just bring my MP3 out?"

Lee shook his head.

"They do not like canned music, Hanabi. They want to listen to _your_ song, _your_ beat, _your _rhythm."

Hanabi frowned.

"Canned music?"

Lee nodded with an encouraging smile on his lips.

"Canned music. In which every sound that you listen to, every sound that is from a machine, is not alive. It is canned; trapped and no longer of any value."

The girl seemed to give it a moment of thought before regaining an air of annoyance.

"Well then, how'd you get that one to come out to you?"

"I sang and danced for it!"

"You never moved a muscle!"

There was contempt in her accusing tone. Lee laughed again.

"I did not have to. I danced in my mind, heart, and soul. My body may have been still but I most certainly was not!"

She glared at him a moment longer before leaning back, glaring at the ground instead. Two minutes later, a breath came out slightly hummed a few moments before she sounded as if she were choking on air. Minutes after that, a sound like a cawing raven came from her throat before she gave a growl of frustration.

"I sound foolish!"

Lee gave her a bright smile, pointing delicately behind her.

"They do not think so."

She whipped around, catching a glimpse of butterfly wings and a rainbow array of skin color before there was only trees and plants and last autumn's floor of leaves. She pouted.

"I missed them!"

"You startled them… Do it again, Hanabi."

She did, this time without question or doubt. Moments later, it was all she could do not to shake with giddy excitement as tiny faery folk and dwarf sized creatures came out of hiding, scurrying towards her and then around her, gazing curiously or with large grins plastered onto their small faces.

Lee sat back, content to watch as the strange purplish blue fairy from before rejoined him, fluttering about his shoulders before pulling playfully at his hair.

"Dance! Dance!"

The raven haired boy gave a large grin.

"I am dancing!"

The creature frowned, the sight seeming comical after the large smile that had practically split his face in half.

"Get to your feet! What has happened to your dance feet!?"

Lee gave a sad and distant smile.

"I can not dance as well as I once could, Dijoo… I hope you do understand…"

Dijoo gave him a mean look.

"I don't! Dance! Dance!"

"Let him be, little one. Wonder off to have your fun."

Lee looked up at his sudden companion. The creature was long limbed, tall like the forests around them, and a deep moss green and soil brown. It's eyes were small yet kind on each side of it's dog like head, it's arms and legs long where it's body was short. It's ears were floppy against his face and the whiskers thick on his muzzle. It was with a groan that he fell to the ground, easily catching himself before he actually hit and then stretching his body out to lay comfortably. Lee smiled welcomingly as he reached out a hand, scratching the creature behind one ear.

"It has been years, Sebee."

"So it has seemed to be… Yet it has only been a blink of an eye for me."

"Well, it would be for you! You sleep for so long and then only stay awake for moments!"

"Why should the wise awaken when not we need? If only for a moment's conversation and to feed."

Already, Sebee seemed to be soaking into the ground, his mossy green back becoming swollen and reaching out to the surrounding greens, the soil brown of his coat having already sunken into the earth.

"If that is the case, I am happy that you chose me for that moment's conversation."

"Alas, not for word did I meet you, but to help you through this time true."

Lee blinked, the smile slipping away into a sad frown.

"Ah… I see… Sebee, should you not sleep?"

"Destiny is not set. There is hope for you yet."

With that curious statement, only a long mound was left behind in the earth to signal that his friend had ever been.

"Lee! Lee, look!"

He did so, just in time to watch a hundred bright colors disappear in a flash of light, leaving behind one girl with her hand still extended as if something had rested on her finger, her hair in disarray and her clothes dirtied. Faery folk were playful folk, he knew.

Her smile disappeared with them, leaving behind a frown.

"What did I do wrong this time!?"

Lee gave a small smile, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Your voice… You were speaking harshly again…"

The girl turned steadily red in the face.

"… Shit!"

His mouth gaped open.

"Hanabi!"

"It's there fault!"

She stood up and walked back out into the opening.

"Cousin was right, playing with faeries is foolish! I'm happy Sister's always too busy to take me out to see them!"

Lee followed her, and then gave a small, low chuckle.

"No, you are not… And your brother may be right, but that is why it is done! Would dancing and singing and joking with the faeries be fun if it were not foolish?"

For long moments, long after they had entered the seemingly never ending 'backyard' of the Hyuuga estate, clear into view of both Naruto and Love who balanced on the third floor rail, she did not answer.

"… Can we do that again?"

He gave her a gentle hug as he went down on one knee, picking her up in the process.

"I would be honored!"

* * *

8D TaDAAAA!!! … Don't really know… I do know this, Lee's coven has to be freaking out over this! Maybe I'll get to that next… Or maybe I won't, depending on the amount of reviews I get… =n= Sound like a plan?


	10. The Glanconer

The brunette stepped into the large spacious room, the air misty with incense and smelling thickly of herbs. She blinked into the fog like substance, trying to stare through it to the one person she was looking for.

"High Priestess?"

Almost as if on a whim, the mist seemed to swirl and bat itself away from her, leaving a clear path from where she stood to where a blonde woman, not looking pass the age of thirty, sat on a cushion with her lover in hand, a woman with dark brown hair that was only a shade or two shy of black. By those two, a pig slept, it's form tiny and chubby. In a small tank close to them, slugs of large variety (and size) made their way languidly about their lives.

Hazel eyes stared her down.

"What is it, kid?"

Tenten stepped fully within the room, following the cleared path. Gazing at the high priestess's lover, she kept certain to be quiet, not wishing to wake her. Shizune was _not_ a morning person.

"High Priestess…"

The older woman rose an irritated eyebrow.

"Haven't I told you already?"

Tenten gave pause before giving a reluctant nod.

"Yes, but, High Priestess, what I've seen-"

"We don't interfere, got that?"

Now the girl was angry, her fists clenched at her sides and eyes glaring at the ground.

"We can't just do nothing-"

"That's exactly what we're going to do."

Her eyes flew up to stare horrified at the blonde.

"What?"

Her high priestess gave an affirming nod as she leaned further back into her bed of cushions, one hand still tangled in the hair of her sleeping lover who's head rested on her large bosom.

"When Beautiful needs us, Beautiful will come to us… Do you understand? Just as you feel he is your brother, so does everyone else feel like they're his family. That doesn't make a difference. As of yet, we've got nothing to do with him and we're not going to interfere with that."

She looked up at Tenten with almost understanding in her gaze, if not for how highly annoyed they appeared.

"We are not what he needs… yet."

Tenten had her head tilted to the ground, the taste of incense invading her mouth once more as the aromas overpowered her, shadowing the world around her so that she appeared alone again though she knew her high priestess laid no more than three feet from her. There was only one path clear, and that was the path to the door.

"… You're going to kill yourself one day with all of these fumes…"

She heard what could have been a snort, but already she was walking away.

'_Lee… We're waiting for you… All of us… Your family is still here for you.'_

She gripped her pentagram through her nightgown, her hair again in a French braid for the night.

"_May my voice be heard_

_Taken on the wings of the bird_

_Whispered in the breath of the breeze_

_Spoken of by the ever thinning trees._

_May my love and faith travel across time and space_

_To the one taken without a trace."_

She sighed, tilting her head up to the ceiling.

"To Lee, So mote it be…"

* * *

Lee's lips were pressed against Love's, his fingers tangled in the long red overcoat the demon wore, his eyes half opened and face red . He wanted to not feel this fire every time their lips touched, but it seemed impossible! He knew it meant only as much as what he made of it to Love, and it was horrifying! Love did not lust for him… He merely wanted Love.

A gasp escaped him as one of Love's hands rubbed against one eager nub beneath his green shirt, stolen from his mouth into the lungs of the redhead as the other continued to breathe from him. Lee could feel the almost instantaneous change in the demon through his touch, the blistering heat that was suddenly the redhead's lips pressed against his own and the fire that was his touch through the raven's shirt.

Another gasp escaped him, this one of no credit to what was occurring in that moment. He felt… warm… in his heart…

And that warmth spread, going from his own heart up his throat and into Love.

There was a lustful sigh as the redhead tore their lips apart, his blue-green eyes at half mast. He looked so… content, calm…

So beautiful… In a way that a tiger was beautiful; dangerously so, but deceivingly as well.

Lee could not stop himself as he watched the redhead relax. He reached out, initiating contact for one of the first few times, and gripped Love's hand, humming happily as he nuzzled his face into the redhead's shoulder.

"… Ah hem… Guys? Heeellloo."

Lee went dead tense, his eyes shooting open and his face fever red. Ever so slowly, he looked around himself at the dinner table, his mouth gaping open and shut as he met almost a dozen pair of degrading lilac eyes, only of them not, but still filled with embarrassment and shock. The only other pair of eyes staring at them were sky blue and were filled with humor, horror, and irritation.

"Oy, think you could have held it till you two were alone?"

"It has never stopped you before, Uzumaki."

The blonde scowled.

"Well I never dragged Hinata from her chair onto mine and started sucking faces."

The redhead did not show shame, hesitation, nor any other emotion that stated he cared as he allowed his hands to fall slowly away from Lee to land on the arm rests of his chair, meeting Naruto's eyes calmly.

"You said for me to eat something."

"I wasn't talking about your boy toy!"

"I am not a boy toy!"

If anyone heard Lee's horrified cry, they did not let on.

"He is the only thing that sates me. Eating anything else would be pointless."

Lee gave a groan of despair as he once again buried his face into Love's shoulder.

'_Goddess forgive me, but I find this humorous…'_

* * *

_So do I, Lee, so do I… _

_Happy Tenth Chapter!!!_


	11. Nelys The Alchemist

Lee woke up… feeling ill. His body trembled with aches and shivered with cold though he was buried under three blankets and the afternoon sunlight leaked into his room like a fourth… Wait… Afternoon?

He curled into himself, attempting to gain some illusive warmth. What was _wrong_ with him? He whimpered, his heart shuddering in his chest. _'… Love… Where is Love?' _It took more strength than he had at the moment, yet he somehow forced himself over the edge of the bed, landing with a loud crack on the ground. In his weakened state, the wail of surprise and pain escaped easily and loudly.

The door smashed against the opposing wall, Naruto standing in the doorway like an avenging angel with teeth bared and body tense. "DON'T FUCKIN' TOUCH-… Fuzzy Brows?" Naruto stared down at him, confusion and concern evident in his sky blue eyes.

Lee was panting, his vision graying around the edges. "Naruto… Love… Where is he?" A sense of dread was trickling down his spine.

Realization dawned in Naruto's gaze as he ran over and took Lee high into his arms, nearly shoving aside the three servants that had followed him to Lee's room upon hearing the crash. The demon seemed to go about like a madman, screaming for 'Red' at the top of his lungs as their search dashed them passed dozens of lilac eyes and then into the surrounding forest. "RED! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?!? REEEDD!"

He was getting colder, his heart fluttering just barely and his head lolling from his neck like a rag doll. His mouth was gaping open, flexing instinctively in an attempt to drag in air that was reluctant to come to him, his eyes sliding shut as they were too heavy to keep open. His arms and legs dangled from his lax body.

Naruto stopped when seeing this, his gaze furious as it went from the raven to the surrounding trees. He couldn't feel the other demon. _Anywhere_! He sucked in a deep breath, sounding like a growl as he heightened his voice to a roar. "I COMMAND YOU GET YOUR ASS HERE THIS FUCKIN' INSTANT!! GAARA!" _'Get your ass here right now!' _"GAARA!!" _'Do you want him to die 'cause you wanted to sleep!?' _GAA- ra!?"

He had to grip onto Lee tight as they were thrown backwards, a violent tornado of sand rising straight out of the ground with a whirring sound and collapsing the closer trees. As it died down, a pale gray specimen of a man was kneeling over as if aged a thousand years though his hair glistened red and his skin tight across the bones… Too tight, actually. Eyes, glazed over and unfocused, fastened onto the raven in his arms with hunger. As if controlled by an amateur puppeteer, the redhead's body jerked forward, every movement seeming painful and accompanied by a crackling sound.

Naruto took a step back, growling low in his throat as his eyes caught the late day sun and flashed red. "No, not when you're looking at him like that… This is Hinata's friend, she'd never forgive me if I handed him over to you when you look like you could kill him without even knowing it!"

If Gaara cared for his opinion, he didn't let it show; moving forward with the seemingly broken steps. "How… do you… suggest… we fix… this?" He touched a finger to Lee's jaw, lifting it in the same moment Naruto flew backwards _without _the raven haired boy, his back hitting a tree with shattering force. Even as the blonde haired demon cursed, rubbing a hand to his back and glaring at the redhead, Gaara had caught Lee in his own arms and had now opened his mouth, settling it over the unconscious boy's like a perfect fit. His shoulders rotated back as he sucked in a deep breath, a hue of color returning with even only that one pull. He cradled Lee to his chest like a precious thing, falling to his knees and letting the slightly moaning boy rest in his lap.

Naruto watched… Because there was nothing he could do at the moment, right? Killing Gaara was just about impossible and the only way to do so would get him killed by his girlfriend… It was a lose-lose situation, only made worse by the fact that he found the boy to be cool… Stopping the redhead now would just get them both killed, wouldn't it? So he watched, shaking with fury, and waited for when the damned redhead would put Lee down so he could kick his sandy ass over.

The redhead snapped his head back after only a few moments, a trail of a green mist-like substance swirling with red traveling still between their open mouths. When the demon again opened his eyes, they were sharp, intelligent… and golden.

In a raw show of power, Naruto crashed through another five trees… His punishment for hissing and leaping at the redhead, believing him to be about to murder Lee -… Or come as damn close to it as he could. Aware golden eyes followed his progress through the trees, blank of all emotions as he the redhead stood to his feet, Lee -who's apricot tone had returned to his skin, as well as a red hue to his cheeks, was no longer shivering, and was breathing normally again- cradled high to his chest as he walked fluidly over the forest floor, not a twig snapping under his weight.

"What did you think to do, Uzumaki?" His voice was blank of emotion, a question and nothing more that would be answered, as his dominant air demanded.

Naruto scowled up at him, rubbing the back of his head as he got quickly to his feet and directly into Gaara's face for the second time in a week. "I thought to stop you from getting all psycho on his ass! I know how you get when your eyes get like that! And don't play me for an idiot!"

"You act like one, therefore I treat you as one."

Naruto nearly blew up in the other's face, except Lee gave a mumble in his sleep, turning his face into Gaara's shoulder as he curled into himself like a contented kitty.

Naruto clenched his teeth. "What the hell did you think you were doing, anyway? Don't you know better by now than to go to sleep!?"

"It was not of my own choice." Naruto blinked, and then his scowl darkened, Gaara's blank expression not changing in the least.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, 'you didn't have a choice'?"

A pale hand drifted over glossy black locks, Lee's head held comfortably against the redhead's shoulder. "I was attempting to wean myself of my sustenance… Clearly, that is not going to work…"

Naruto lost some anger, thinking back and realizing that it had been an entire day since he had seen the other demon assault Lee. And then he blinked. "What the hell!? It's only been about a day, right?"

Gaara gave a slight nod of the head, brushing passed Naruto and on to the Hyuuga estate once more, not explaining the question behind the question. Two destroyed trees distance later, he stopped, Naruto having not moved an inch. "Uzumaki."

Naruto scowled at the redhead's back, winding his fingers together behind his head as he entertained the fantasy of sending Gaara directly into the heat of hell where he'd laugh his ass off at the redhead. "Yeah?"

"Don't say my name so loudly again." And then disappeared in a flurry of sand, leaving a cursing raving Naruto behind who was now battling his way through large tentacles of the desert soil.

"YOU JACKASS! I'LL RIP YOU TO PIECES AND THEN FEED YOU TO THE DOGS!! I'M SO KICKING YOUR ASS!!"

* * *

He awoke slowly, feeling well rested as he did so. He stretched his arms and legs far, arching his back to work out the kinks as he gave a sigh of contentment. As he brought his limbs back to him, his hand brushed through something coarse and thick.

"So, you're awake…" His eyes shot open, blinking repeatedly at the suddenness of light directly onto his pupils before rubbing at them, staring disbelievingly at the redhead who laid on his bed beside him. Spread casually out on the furthest edge of the queen sized mattress, Love stared with an unblinking stare up at the ceiling, hands woven behind his head as a sort of pillow against the dozen or so around them.

A large grin split his face as he threw himself on top of the redhead, wrapping his arms around the redhead's waist and squeezing. "Love! I am so glad to see you! I was certain something terrible had happened to you, yet you are here and looking fine as ever!" He stopped himself, his mind rewinding over and over again on the last few words he said. A fine blush spread over his cheeks as blue-green eyes slid in their sockets to stare at him. "I meant as in healthy!"

Love stared incredulously down upon him. "Is there a reason why I should not be?"

Lee shook his head, happy to deny the dread from earlier. He did not know what had came over him, but he was just fine now! "Oh no, Love! You should be as healthy as a horse! Yosh!"

A hand wove into his hair, stroking his scalp so that he shivered in surprised pleasure, his eyes widening as he looked up at Love. "I meant is there a reason why I should not be fine… As in… 'hot' as I think the term is used these days."

Lee's face turned a solid shade of red, words sputtering from his mouth as he attempted to think of something to say.

There was no need. The door, for the second time that day, broke into the opposite wall. Surprisingly enough, it was not Naruto who did it.

There were tears and ferocity in usually doe-like lilac eyes, energy flaring and purple hair crackling. "We're being attacked! Love, help Naruto! Beautiful, come with me!"

* * *

O.o Ooooh… What's going on!? You're guess is as good as mine, I have no freakin' idea!


	12. Sylvanius

_Lub…_

His sky blue eyes were dim in his semi-conscious state, his body limp over the shoulder of the raven haired boy who had defeated him. His sun tanned skin was splattered with blood both his own and not, yellow blonde hair caked with the fluid as well as dirt and twigs.

_Dub…_

He was laid down against a tree, his head falling back against it's trunk, hands flopping uselessly to the forest ground. Pale hands with each nail painted black released him slowly, long fingers lingering on the revealed skin showing through tears and rips.

_Lub…_

His captor sighed, a sound more of uncharacteristic joy than anything else. "You beautiful idiot… I had to pay a price for you back, but it only harms the people _you_ cared for… Moron…" There was affection in his dark tone. Blue eyes only stared blankly.

_Dub…_

"I loved you… Why did you leave? Didn't I swear I would give you everything?" Fingers drifted over his lax body, feathering over his bottom lip before gently wiping away blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.

_Lub.._

The hands tightened suddenly in their grip, a sick twisted smile twisted the raven haired man's lips, eyes cold like winter and dark like despair flickered with mad enticement. "Did you like being in another being? The heat?"

_Dub.._

His smile kept twisting until it was a feral snarl on his face, skin seeming to become ashen pale as eyes became even darker. "Did you like _her_? I hope not, because she dies tonight… Just like that demon and his little boy toy."

_Lub._

"And while they're dying for your selfishness…" What clothes were left on his body were stripped of with slow bruising force. "I will teach you who you really belong to _all_ over again, _Naruto_."

_Lub… Dub…_

Energy, red and powerful, chases towards the raven haired offender, only to crash into an aura of smoky black. It took only a moment before the grey substance was overcame and the pale man behind it a victim of it's power as he was dragged a distance up off of the ground, the energy wrapped around him like a coiling snake.

_Lub._

Dark eternal eyes turn onto the redhead who stood in their presence, arms crossed over a chest dressed in a burgundy overcoat, darkly shadowed eyes unfeeling as they stared up at him like golden coins. "You have no right." The smile that had twisted the pale man's lips now returned, a twisted dark cackle escaping his wheezing lips. Energy oozed out of him like toxic waste… and then he was free, once more on the ground.

_Lub… Dub…_

"I know you…" He rose dramatically from his knees to his feet, his head downcast though his shoulders shook subtly with laughter. "… And I know you're going to die here soon…" He met the other's golden glowing eyes with his own, becoming so dark they gave off their own glow. "Demon… Shouldn't you be protecting the boy you tried to kill?"

_Lub.. Dub.._

The redhead's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I know of you… Uchiha… Uzumaki told me you were a possessive lover of his some time ago… You are nothing but a wiccan, how are you still alive?" Because 'some time ago' constituted of about a few decades longer than this man should be alive, much less look so young.

_Lub.. Dub.._

The Uchiha snickered, hands spreading away from his body as the putrid energy in the air swirled and tangled around his fingers. "A deal with the devil… Let's just say… Unfortunately, the Konoha Clan never figured that out… They were all so naïve…" He took a step towards the demon, raising one hand languidly. "How has life been on the verge of death?" The ball of energy flew…

* * *

_From the sky to the ground_

_As we stand with enemy abound_

_Protected this land and everyone within_

_Through the dangers that arise thick and thin_

_With strength of heart, soul, and mind_

_May our will and fire be in which we bind_

_Onto one another and each_

_As far as our power may reach_

_Here this plea_

_So mote it be_

The trees swayed with the beg and the earth seemed to groan. From above, the sky opened as it to weep for them, yet they knew that not to be the case.

Before them, the demon of oceans cackled with open glee, sharp gleaming teeth snapping ominously open and shut as his clear eyes darted from one wiccan to another. His turquoise blue skin and just as blue hair shimmered with the downfall, his chest bare to the elements and sinewy muscles flexing as he threw his head back to the sky.

"And this is who they send to stop me?" He turned his eyes back to them, his eyes mad, yet determined as if with purpose.

It was clear when that purpose was fulfilled, his eyes focusing on Lee who stood beside Hinata in line with another six or so Hyuuga's. "You?… Poor kid…" It was clear by his tone that he felt no guilt nor pity; on contrary, he sounded pleased. "Why don't we send you and that demon out of your miseries?"

It rose in waves as if they stood in the center of a sea instead of in the eastern part of the forest, sloshing around their knees and rising at an increasingly fast rate, beating at their legs and pushing until only three were swept away in the current. The water was very quickly bathed red. Lee held the distraught and horrified Hinata to his chest, the men with them watching on with horror. Neji was somewhere to the western corner of the forest, another demon having been spotted there.

It was an attack there was a large chance of them not surviving, and Lee's heart bled with that knowledge. _He_ had brought this upon this family, the Hyuuga family. It was entirely _his_ fault for not having left them and gone into hiding somewhere else until a way could be found to break the bond. His tears mingled with the rain, his teeth clenched against the harshly blowing winds, roughly shoving waves, and his inner pain.

And that was when he could not take it anymore. A growl escaped his throat as he stepped away from them, leaving them to hold onto each other in the furious storm as he forced himself to step forward. Around him, the green and blue energy that was him scurried on the edge of his vision, yet pulsed around him like fury and shields. The water raced a circle around him, clearing away to leave muddied ground beneath his feet.

"Why… Can you not…" His hands clenched as his body bent from the waist, his body trembling with the overwhelming anger and guilt he felt. "Just… Leave us…" His voice growled, his raven hair standing on edge from both the shock of his raging energy and a more personal transformation. "ALONE!"

It rose like a tsunami wave, warring to reach out and swallow them, yet forced to circle, gaining higher and higher heights until it seemed to tower over even the moon.

His eyes, usually warm like sun touched obsidian, were white, no difference between eyeball, iris, and pupil in the swirling pearl quality of it. "THEY DID NOTHING WRONG!"

Hinata watched, eyes wide with tears, awe, and fear. "B-Beautiful…" She reached out to him, wanting to take his hand and help him, but was pulled sharply back by one of her cousins, his lilac eyes narrowed with distrust upon her friend.

"You can't trust that kind of power, high priestess!" His voice was a dull roar in the background of the wave, even the muscles of his throat constricted and his mouth opened wide to try and raise it.

Her gaze was cool upon him, yanking her hand wordlessly from him and stepping to Lee's side. Her hand touched his, the veins about her eyes rising out of the skin. "You will leave."

A command, spoken by someone with the will to give the command, the _power_ to back it up. It, just a soft whisper of words, was heard as if not another sound in the world existed.

The demon of the oceans frowned, and then scowled, and then growled. He flung his arms to the side, muscles in his triceps and biceps twitching and stretching as he hurled them forward, as if throwing a weight unimaginably heavy.

The wave crashed over them, but not _onto_ them. Lee was breathing deeply and heavily, exertion blending into the anger and guilt like a taunt. This amount of energy… Against such an ancient demon? Had he wanted to give it thought, he would have realized the impossibility of it.

And Hinata stood beside him like a cleansing beacon, her hand reaching out and brushing through the wave as if it meant no more danger than swimming. As a whole, the wave fell to the ground, raking trees from the ground like leaves as it spread and embodied.

And did not rise again.

Her frame trembled and fidgeted, her skin even paler than was natural and air leaving her in short bursts. She was on the verge of collapse, but she had done what would have been thought impossible.

The demon of the oceans disappeared in the crash of water, the last view of his face one of interest and surprise.

Around them and above them, the water surged and then seemed to evaporate, sloshing and then rising back up until it rejoined the now blue skies. Cheers rose from behind them like mad, but Lee could not care less.

He caught the collapsing priestess in his arms, falling back onto the mushy ground in the process, his every muscle aching and his mind hazy with exhaustion.

He was out before even the first Hyuuga could step forward, his last thought reaching out to the redhead who's life was tied to his own. _'I believe in you, Love…'_

* * *

He collapsed to the ground yet again, wheezing with each breath and blood spurting from his mouth with each cough. He wanted to look up; meet his opponent's eyes as he felt was necessary to do. Yet he was learning that was not the way to fight this war.

An illusionist… That's what his opponent had to be… If not, then a very good manipulator of minds…

He had seen his own death, the death of his cousins, the death of his entire _clan_. He knew they were false, but that did not make them feel any less real!

"With how you were bragging…" A monotone voice spoke, feet bare of shoes but with nails polished the darkest shade of blue without being black as they came into his line of sight. "I thought you were strong… As it turns out, you're no stronger than a fly on the wall."

He growled, trying to rise against all odds, yet he fell to the ground once more. There was too much agony to stand again, no matter how his pride demanded that he do so.

"'Tachi! Yo, ya done yet?" He choked at the new voice, his head lifting to look at the stranger who stood in their midst. His mouth gaped open as his eyes widened, but only for a moment before he recomposed himself. Before him stood the demon of the Oceans. It was impossible to mistaken him for any other! Skin and hair blue with transparent eyes and a razor sharp grin, his body large and sinewy as he gave his opponent a smirk.

That smirk was returned- as far as he could see without connecting eyes- without expression. "There's no point for me to continue here… Have you messed up your mission again?" There was no annoyance in his voice; more as if it was something he expected.

In reply, the demon of the Oceans tugged his raven haired opponent to his chest and-

Neji choked on shock and horror, teeth gritting together as he gave a savage sound. Neither man acted to hear him, his opponent seeming enraptured and the demon of the Oceans enticed…

In a kiss… His opponent, nearly seven inches shorter than the blue demon, had to be lifted against the other's chest with a guttural chuckle which was countered with a thrust of the hips.

He was disgusted. He had thought this was bad between Lee and his demon. He had thought it was bad between his cousin and her demon… And yet, seeing his opponent submit, while he himself lay helpless and bleeding only feet away from them, was an insult to his entire being.

He had just been soundly defeated by a man who played the role of the woman for another man… Was life fucked up or what?

Eyes, cool like autumn and dark like oblivion, turned to him, connected gazes for the last time and yet without the blood of red floating in his eyes. His opponents' arms, pale and long enough, were wrapped around the demon's shoulders as the other turned his face away from him for the last time. "Away. Now."

A grin full of dangerously sharp teeth was directed at him from the demon of the Oceans, and then they were gone in a fountain of water that shot out from the ground. When the shower was done, not even the ground it had shot from was wet.

He merely laid there, bleeding profusely and pissed. Fate had disgraced him… And all he had to be grateful for is that no one had seen his defeat.

* * *

"_He just makes me feel wrong. Damn, Gaara, do you have to keep asking!?" The blonde scowled, sky blue eyes turned up and away. _

_He didn't have to see his companion's eyes to know the pain the other felt. It wafted off of him in dull colors, circling him as if it wished to protect him from further harm._

_He turned his gaze back to the setting sun, watching the splashes of orange, pink, purple, blue, and yellow against the horizon. A beautiful sunset this night indeed… "… I warned you."_

"_YES! Alright? You were right!" Exasperation, pain, annoyance, anger, betrayal, and hatred flared out in the shout, his face scrunched with fury and his fists clenched against the ground as the sand that rested around them began to shift and dance and then flurry. "YOU, great fucking arse sand demon, were right about him!" He turned his face away with a growl._

_He could still smell the salt of his tears, though. _

"_Damn it, I just didn't think he'd turn out like that… I-I mean, I know he was an arse when we began this relationship… I didn't know he was so selfish! And, I mean, did you see him with her?… AND him? I deserve better than to be played!" He gave a humorless laugh, his eyes bitter on the fading sky. "Hell, I deserve something inhuman. But, no, I admit to love him and then he starts batting me around like his toy!"_

_Blue-green eyes turned from the horizon to his companion. "And the point of screaming this all at me?"_

_The blonde snorted, rubbing furiously at his face. "You're my best friend… And yeah! MY. Best. Friend!" He seemed to find it worth explaining at Gaara's incredulous gaze. A staring contest later in which Gaara didn't even have to try, the blonde sighed weakly and stared down at his feet, which hung off the side of the building they sat on. "… He can't live like us anyway… Give it a few years and he'll die of whatever and we'll just stay alive 'cause we can't die…"_

_A hand, tanned by long days in the sun, came up and twisted at the fabric over his heart, his teeth clenched together. "It hurts!" He turned large teary blue eyes onto darkly shadowed jade ones. "Is it supposed to hurt like this!?"_

_Gaara stared at him for a long moment before blinking, turning back to the horizon. "… It hurts as much as you make it hurt…" It was the best way to describe it._

_His companion hiccupped, childishly kicking his feet against the wall as he rubbed yet again at his tears. "… Yeah, well I'm never falling for another guy again!"_

_Had the redhead been in possession of eyebrows, they would have risen as his eyes turned in their sockets to stare at the blonde without moving his head. A growl met him. "Better believe it! No man's gonna get this sweet ass again!"_

_He gave it a long moment of consideration, his body lax in the presence of the sunset and mind at peace with the silence of his desert home. "… And I don't doubt it. Your will is like iron. Nothing can change your mind now that it has been made… So, perhaps, you shall find a woman to make you believe again."_

…

* * *

'Love', bleeding from only one place -his forehead-, had Naruto leaning against his shoulder as they walked back to the Hyuuga estate, the blonde eerily silent as he limped along with the redhead's assistance.

"… He told the Shadow master about Lee and you and how you got blood from him…" His tone was dull and just barely audible as a grumble.

He kept his eyes ahead of himself, blood leaking from his forehead and down the length of his face to drip off of his chin or continue down his neck. "… I know… Your taste in men is terrible. As I thought, your taste in women is exceptionally better."

Naruto gave a dry bitter snort, his free hand holding his pants around his waist so they would not fall. He had outright refused to wear the redhead's overcoat, but his other clothing as such short notice were… 'S.O.L.' to put it simply.

"… Are you going to tell?" _Are you going to tell them about Sasuke? Are you going to tell them it's all my fault? Are you going to tell them that I was too weak to protect myself?  
__  
_"… Only if I am asked." And by anyone specifically, he meant Lee. No one else honestly mattered to him.

The blonde stared blandly at the grass they walked upon before offering the redhead a tired face smile. "Thanks… I guess…"

'Love' stared ahead of himself a while longer before turning a sideway glance at the blonde. "… No… I am sorry."

Now the twist of the lips was true… If not in a painful way, seeing as how they twisted bitterly and with betrayal burning in his eyes. "It's fine… It just means I get to kill him myself. Better believe it."

And, again, Gaara didn't doubt that he would do it.

* * *

There you have it, Ladies and Gentlemen! *yawns* It's late, I'm tired, and I still need a shower. Don't care if you didn't need to know that, you now know that. -.-; Yes, my fight scenes suck… Forgive me?


	13. The Faery Who Was Kissed By The Pixies

Everything began as a murmur in his ears, very slowly gaining volume and tone until he was able to decipher the chirping of cicadas and the yelps of coyotes.

He opened his eyes reluctantly, feeling so very tired throughout his entire body and aching, his mind blurry as well as his sight as they finally opened entirely.

He blinked. Once. Twice. And then shot up from the sea of red and black silk and coarse blankets that rested in the corner of what had to be a cave. His head shot from one side of the cavern to the other, attempting to detect an entry or even remember how he had gotten here.

He crawled out of the nest, standing on shaky legs on the cool rock floor. He swayed for a moment before regaining his wits, taking deep meditating breaths as he opened his mind and then took actual stock of his surroundings.

There was a slit of pale light coming in between two large boulders to his right. Other than that, the walls, floor, and ceiling were entirely smooth as if marble. There was a large collection of scrolls and books at the opposite wall of the boulders, piled precariously one on top of the other against a long desk of undusted wood. In front of it, a bench with red velvet covering it's seat stood.

He looked back to the nest. No bed; merely blanket upon blanket upon blanket of layers of cloth that protected the body from the hard cold floor. The blankets themselves seemed to range from cotton to wool to silk and then to a few other types of cloth.

He blinked again, nor more calm and centered, and looked to the entry way.

… Had he been kidnapped by highly intelligent mice? It seemed that that would be the only creature able to fit through the hole…

As his hand brushed against the crease in the rocks, there was a flare of energy and then he knew for a fact that he was not alone, even if he knew certainly that no one had come through the entry. Had he not known the energy, he possibly would have been a tad weary to turn around.

As it were, he spun around and leaped, arms wrapping around broad shoulders and legs twining around a slim waist. "Love! You are alright! This is wonderful news!…" He pulled away to stare with confusion at him. "Are the Hyuuga's alright? How many lives were lost? How did they know to find us there!?… Where are we?"

Love walked as if without burden, dropping the leather bag to the nest of blankets before taking Lee's hands into his own and unwinding them, allowing Lee to slide down him and back onto the mound. Lee stared curiously up at him, nearly perfectly still as he awaited answers.

"… Yes. Four. Uchiha." He gestured to the cave, swinging his arm lazily in an arc. "My hidden haven."

Lee puffed out his cheeks. "Not very talkative today, are we?" His eyebrows drew together. "Uchiha?"

"Not very talkative ever; particularly at night." He looked pass Lee to the cavern wall, an almost dire air of seriousness about him. "Uchiha; A man with raven hair and despair dark eyes. He was part of your coven up until recently."

Lee blinked with realization. "Yosh! I remember him! He was extremely powerful; even more so than Hinata and Neji!… Wait a moment…." He stared up at Love with wide disbelieving eyes. "Are you saying he _betrayed_ us? Never!" He was so adamant in his belief, he swung his arms before himself in a fashion a referee would say 'foul'. "To betray one's coven is the worst possible betrayal ever! Surely, you are mistaken."

His flailing wrists were caught securely and his body pushed back against the mound of blankets, the demon towering over head of him as they stared into each other's eyes; Love's were calm and justified, Lee's defiant and narrowed. "Why would I lie?"

Which made Lee stop breathing for nearly an entire minute, his body freezing up. Why _would_ he lie? He gained nothing by telling Lee that a man who had disappeared from the coven some days before the attack on Lee occurred was a traitor. Regardless, he clenched his teeth, scowling up at the redhead. "Do you have proof? You can not accuse someone of something if you have no evidence to back up the blame!"

There was a short silence of testing each other, gouging reactions and simply staring where both parties felt they were not wrong yet knew one of them had to be. "Did anyone outside of your coven know of my attack on you last year? Did he not know about the Hyuuga's?" His hands tightened. "Be sensible, Lee, did you ever see him age? Did he ever step into the circle? How long was he with your coven? You are willing to believe the spoken words of a man who was not even born of your clan even after all of these mysterious 'coincidences'?"

He hissed, now glaring down at Lee. "Stop with your pain. If you honestly took notice of all of these things and never became suspicious, you have no right to act hurt now of all times." He snarled. "Now, damn it. Stop crying!"

On contrary, he didn't. He merely stared up at Love and realized his first ever betrayal of trust. He had trained against Sasuke on one occasion, and had been so happy to loudly declare the mysterious raven a friend afterwards, though he had felt somewhat bruised.

He didn't make a sound, the tears sliding silently down his cheeks as his gaze turned inward. "Why?" His voice was a bare whisper. Why would someone be driven to betray their coven? What was so important, one had to cause the death of yesterday's friends to make today's allies? _Why_?

"A deal." The demon's breath rasped against his lungs. He was better off at ignoring pain than his charge, but this was his charge's pain. "In exchange for a secret that would lead to my death, he was promised Naruto."

Lee choked. "N-Naruto? If he were to lay a hand on him, I would-!" He did not know what he would do… He was certain it would be drastic, though.

Love shook his head. "The Uchiha does not want his life; he wants him. Too many years ago to care to count, they were once lovers, and then he did something that made him eternal; I am uncertain of what. Naruto broke the relationship because of his exploits."

… Lee had no idea what to say. Instead, he began shivering, his gaze lowering to Love's chest, though it was clear he did not honestly see it. "… I am cold…" It was stated numbly. "How long was I sleeping?"

"Only a few hours. Less than you should have rested after nearly depleting yourself." He stood up from Lee, gesturing to the leather bag. "In there, you will find bread, water, and some other foods you can eat."

Lee sat up slowly, almost as if uncertain. He wrapped his arms around himself, becoming actually aware of the fact that that was not just him that felt cold, but his body as well. He looked at Love. "If I am cold… Does that not mean that you need… What it is that you need?"

"You're on the verge of a mental breakdown. Touch as a general act would either shatter what control you have over your emotions, which will then cause me to lose some control as well, or you will do something you will regret."

Lee began rocking back and forth. "I do not care… I just want to be warm right now." His voice was dull. He tilted his head to look at the leather bag and then looked away. Had he had an appetite upon waking, it was gone now. He picked up two of the blankets and slid under them, curling into himself and tangling the sheets over his body until he was nearly cocooned. "Afterward, I shall sleep…" There was a headache moving in.

Love feathered a finger over his own temple, narrowing his eyes on Lee before moving in closer, seeming to swirl over Lee as he tilted the boy's head up and pressed an open mouth kiss to his lips, breathing deeply. It held none of the fire or heat that had came with the others; Lee was practically a corpse under his touch. Yet, even as he drank from his own soul, feeling the warmth return sluggishly to his body unlike the last times, his charge began to tremble.

By the time he was ready to pull away, feeling only lukewarm, Lee was crying again, without a sound escaping his lips as he brought a hand out of his cocoon and tangled it into Love's hair, pulling him back.

It was chaste by all means; his charge's lips closed as all he did was press their mouth together, attempting to feel as if he were not alone.

One of his coven brothers had betrayed him… That was hard enough. The fact that there was a league of demons attempting to kill him in turn to kill another demon weighed on that betrayal. Knowing that he would not being seeing anyone he knew or loved; that he _could_ possibly _die_ before ever seeing them again.

Love was right, he shattered at his touch. Flood gates opening that he had been too strong to let loose before.

They opened… and flowed directly into Love.

He ended the childish kiss with a nip of a fang and twisting raven locks in one hand, sweeping his tongue in at the whimper that was released. His other hand shoved impatiently at the blankets, nearly desperate for touch.

This wasn't his desperation. This wasn't his _need_. Which is what made him snarl into Lee's mouth, his hand pushing at the shirt the boy wore until he was feeling warm quivering skin beneath it. This was his _lust_. Mixing with Lee's need to create something that demanded intimacy with a near vengeance.

Lee whined, wrapping his arms around the demon's shoulders and dragging him fully over him. He broke lip contact to gasp at air before pushing back against him, one hand releasing Love to grasp his wandering hand and hold, bringing clenched fists to where his heart (and Love's, in the essence of the word) rested, thumping painfully against his chest. "Love… Love me… Please?" His voice was hoarse, his body trembling, and his eyes darting from one blue-green eyes to the other.

Love sucked in a deep breath, attempting to remove himself from the emotions. Even as he did that, he was already leaning down again, running his tongue over his charge's and holding tightly the hand in his own as he took his other hand and pushed at the hem of his yoga pants. He looked into Lee's eyes as he did it, wanting to make it clear to him that once they were off, there was no putting them back on until their bodies were sated.

Lee sobbed, arching his hips up to make it easier to fling them across the cave. He sat up, wrapping his arms around the demon's shoulders again as he pressed a gentle kiss to Love's collarbone. "Thank you…"

* * *

"One wiccan boy, and neither of you could grab him despite the fact that he fell unconscious?" The shadow-like figure than turned to the glaring boy in the corner of the cavern, his despair dark eyes filled with hatred upon the man who shared a likeness of appearance with him. "And you… We give you the perfect opportunity, and you lost your pet to our prey?" He tutted.

"That wiccan boy happened to be damned strong." The demon of the oceans said dryly, a growl set deeply into his face as he glared at the shadowy figure, subtly standing just a little ahead of his mate so if the lord decided to give out punishment, he would be the one to take it. His lover had known too much pain at the hands of this bastard.

His mate said nothing of it, staring ahead of himself and a little over the lord's shoulder, blank of all emotion.

"You said so yourself, you merely didn't take your chance to kill him."

The demon of the oceans gave a deadly grin. "Call it respect, but I didn't think of killing a guy who could hold off a tsunami."

It was a choked off grunt that made him spin around to look at his mate. Fuck! The bastard had snuck around him!

His mate was now in the grip of shadows, the thick oily appearing strands slicing easily at his skin on every other inch of his body until he was bathed red in his own blood from the top of his head to his toes, his black clothes never ripping in the process, but appearing extremely wet as a puddle dyed red formed at his feet. All of it happened in the moment the demon of the oceans was able rip his lover out of the shadows and into his arms, roaring with raw animalistic fury at the lord and at the room in general, his eyes glaring down every shadow.

The shadow lord was only powerful because he knew how to manipulate demon mates; in the demon of the ocean's case, his mostly-human mate. It happened; where a human was claimed by a demon. It was as simply as convincing their _mind_ to stop aging to stop the process throughout the entire body. The mind was a powerful thing; one that bent energy and told the body to die or to live or to do anything it did.

He had been mated to the man he now held in his arms for nearly a century. Thirty or so years ago, the shadow lord had captured his mate and played mind games with him while he had been off in the other part of the world directing a hurricane to land. When he had returned to find his mate missing, the shadow lord had been there, smiling as he forced him to make a deal of indentured service in return of his mate.

His lover made not a sound aside from that one grunt, lying limply in his arms though he knew his mate was still quite awake.

Chuckling made him roar at the raven haired boy in the corner of the room, which made the boy flinch before glaring back at him. He returned it with clear blue eyes. "And what are you laughing at, boy?" Then, he smiled viciously. "Whore?"

The boy snarled at him, moving to come forward but limbs of shadow grabbed him and held him back as the shadow lord laughed. "You _are_ a whore, aren't you, Sasuke?" His voice was heavily amused. "You tricked Orochimaru, one of the most powerful demons decades back, to mate with you! That is quite whorish!"

"I did what I had to do to gain eternal life." Sasuke growled, his eyes promising retribution on the grinning blue skinned demon.

The demon's grin grew larger. "Isn't that the preying mantis or the firefly that rips off the head of their mates after they get what they want?"

"Kisame…" The blue-skinned demon stopped his taunts instantly, looking down to his mate with almost frighteningly focused eyes. "Yeah?"

His lover lifted a hand weakly and poked his forehead with two fingers. "Stop." Just like that, Kisame did.

He held his mate high to his chest, soaking himself as well with wells of blood, but honestly not caring. If he healed his mate in front of the shadow lord, the lord would only make his wounds so much worse. And there was only so much healing he knew…

"I don't need your protection from a mutated fish." Spat Sasuke, glaring at the man Kisame held in his arms. "_Brother_." The mocking in his voice was thick enough to burn wood on.

Kisame growled at him. "Watch your tongue, kid." His forehead was poked again. He looked back down, his face unusually grave. "Itachi?"

"Stop." For the second time, he did, his mouth snapping shut with an audible clack.

"Between your three, I could have sworn one of you would complete your task!" The shadow lord tutted again, his one eye moving back and forth as if he were shaking his head. "How pathetic… I hope you don't make the same mistake twice." The last part was in sing-song. "Because now you're going to have to go find them, aren't you?" That one red eye stared pointedly at the heavily bleeding Itachi, though they all knew who the voice was directed at.

Kisame's face twisted into a growl again. "Yes…" His body actually jerked as he forced himself to bow, still holding Itachi to his chest. "My lord…"

Sasuke smirked. The shadow lord cackled. And Itachi laid his palm flat to Kisame's face, his oblivion dark eyes staring up at him without emotion, but a message Kisame knew too well.

He disappeared in an orb of water that swirled to existence and out before even it could clear.

* * *

It was _too _gentle…

Honestly, who could have thought that Love would be so slow and yet deep? Goddess, it felt so good…

Tears slipped from his eyes as he mewled softly into a shell-like ear, his arms wrapped tightly over the demon's shoulders, his legs wrapped securely around his waist. .

Love's hips bucked forward, and then back, making teasing friction that was carefully bringing Lee to an edge of insanity he was uncertain whether it would be healthy to fear or not.

And at his throat, Love was panting against his pulse, his lips teasing it to further lengths and tongue darted out to taste it.

The moment happened suddenly; an accidental brush against something in him that made him cry out, his body arching into the intrusion as he whimpered senselessly, his nails digging into Love's back.

That accidental brush began the torture that led him to his first true consensual orgasm, Love twisting his hips to hit tenderly against the bundle of nerves continuously. Lee sobbed as he came, white spurting with almost languid speed across his chest and over Love's stomach. His body quivered, feeling as if his insides were rippling and his flesh leaving him behind to be nothing more than a free soul. He gripped Love tightly, attempting to anchor himself.

He only lost himself further when Love came in him, feeling the heat and warmth of the demon's seed sputter within himself.

He groaned in tired pleasure, his head falling back more. "Love, love, love, love…" The name left him time and time again, one shaking hand coming up to stroke at coarse red locks of hair and then feather over darkly shadowed lids of half-opened blue-green eyes. The caress made the half lidded man look up at him without moving his head, something near searching in his predatory stare that made Lee shiver when he looked into it.

The demon rested over him for a long, seemingly never ending, moment, just looking at each other as their bodies continued to quiver and their skin sweat in the aftermath of their actions. Finally, Love sighed, rolling off of Lee to rest to his right, laying on his side as he continued to stare. Lee turned towards him, shivering again when he felt the wet slide within him. His hand came up, and Love placed his against it. Lee slid them until they were flat against each other from wrist to middle finger.

He smiled. "Your hand is bigger than mine…" And it was. Love's skin was rough to the touch, as if brushing fingers against sand paper. Love's hand was a finger pad larger than his own, though Lee's fingers were slightly thicker and there were scars from where animals had nipped as well as from where plants had bit.

Gaara looked at them without expression before looking back and meeting Lee's eyes. "… This isn't what you wished to do with your virginity." It was a statement.

Lee blinked, the smile slipping away, though sadness did not replace it. "Most likely, no, that was not how I planned to give away my virginity…" He wiggled closer to Love, nuzzling his face over where his heart should have beat and wrapping his arms under the demon's. "I will not regret it, though…" He grinned, an almost bitter twist of lips. "After all, I could die… Which would kill you…" He shook his head against the almost burning hot flesh. "And I can not bring myself to be sorry for being a part of something so beautiful…" He kissed Love's chest. "Thank you…"

Love slowly, as if uncertain, returned the embrace, holding Lee to his chest as Lee held himself to him. He placed his nose into Lee's hair, breathing slowly. "… Sleep… Tomorrow, I shall show you the hidden tunnels leading to and from this cavern."

"Mmm… What time is it, by the way? I never asked…" Lee's eyes were already closed, his breathing steady and slow.

"Nearing dusk." Love said briefly, his hands wandering over warm pulsing flesh. "Now sleep."

Lee gave a mumble, and then fell asleep, his body relaxed and gently throbbing.

And Love rested with him, his eyes open and aware as he kept the breathing, beating body to him, feeling the calm of Lee's rest breathe into his own body.

* * *

T.T This is why I don't like writing stories from beginning of the relationship to the end… I just can't do it! I always end up speeding the relationship process… *cries* Why!? Oh, why, cruel world!?

On a happier note! IT'S AN UPDSATE 8DDDDDDDD! I was starting to feel really helpless with not having made something and posted it for awhile. And then KakaIru drove the it home by pointing out how long it had been since my last update. XD Finally! Something to show you people that I have still been writing and do indeed still live!


	14. The Piper

Hinata rested over Naruto's chest, her eyes half open as her fingers fiddled restlessly with the collar of his orange shirt. Naruto was silent, sky blue eyes dim like an oncoming storm, and had an arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her to him as she held him to her.

"You know they're okay, Hinata… As if that redheaded bastard would be stupid." His voice was low and hoarse, a dark muttering under his breath.

"Wh-what if they're not?" She lifted her head finally from his slow heartbeat, her lilac eyes conflicted and afraid. "H-how do we know, N-Naruto?" Tears fell anew from her red stained eyes.

Naruto sat up with her, wrapping his arms firmly around her waist as he nuzzled his face against her throat, his hands clenching slightly in her light purple night gown. "'Cause I know that bastard! You better believe ain't no one getting to Lee before that bastard sees them down! Fuzzy Brows isn't going to get hurt, better believe it!" His voice was full of utter conviction.

Hinata blinked, and then closed her eyes, tears leaking out onto her eyelashes and then down her cheeks yet again. Her arms circled his shoulders as her lips trembled. "A-and if-f he c-can't th-throw them d-down?"

A deep dark silence followed, full of doubts that were not being spoken. For the two weeks Lee and 'Love' had been missing, this was how their nights had gone; worried and anxious for their friends as the sun set and they lied in their bed.

"… Just don't think about it that way! You can't doubt them, Hinata! You just can't." He held her closer to him, squeezing her tightly as if he could just push the thoughts out of her head.

Silence fell again, less heavy, yet with just as many doubts and secrets and anxiety.

"… Hinata?" Naruto's voice seemed to crack at the end, but that was not entirely certain. "There's something I gotta tell you… And you're going to hate me when I'm done."

* * *

It was… strange. Strange and different, yet he was surprised mostly by how he had come to accept, and even embrace, it.

Having a demon train him in the blistering heat of the desert sun throughout day and night had been welcomed, if not tiring and sometimes trying. Having that demon supply for him, not trusted to go alone anywhere near the town that rested somewhere close to a hundred miles to their east (It would have been a wonderful challenge, yet he had not learned completely how to transport himself, nor did that make much sense to take the trip for food and supplies when the journey itself would take so long) was something that somewhat dented his pride of independence.

What was entirely strange and different was the fact that that one night of comfort, one of gentle movement and hushed silence and whispering caresses, had not stopped with _just_ that night.

To be truthful, Lee had thought it would. He had thought that there would be no second time under the powerful male, feeling the other joining their body ever again. The thought had left him somewhat sad, yet he had shook away. For three days after that night, it went unmentioned. They weren't avoiding the topic (Love? _Avoid_ something?), they had just… It just went without words and repeat…

For three days.

There was no awkward silence, no guilt or harmed feelings. Lee had said he would not regret and he did not. Oh no, quite the contrary; the memories of it haunted him like a sweet lullaby. Which was how the peace ended three days later when the memories haunted him a _little_ too heavily. Not two minutes later, after beginning to pant and a healthy blush covering his face as his mind raced, those memories were being recreated, reformed, and hardened; hungry aqua eyes had watched him as swift hands had swept over his body, moving away clothes and readying him for a penetration that had made him scream of pleasure and pain mixing so wonderfully together upon the first thrust.

That had led to an awkward silence on Lee's part, his eyes uncertain and his body somewhat tense as he stared at the oh-so calm redhead who laid by his side. They were companions… Most definitely friends if one were to ask him before Love. … But lovers?

Yes, wiccans viewed the act of 'making love' as a very strong force of magic. Yes, he had planned to give himself only to the one he would love with his entire heart and had then ended up in bed with a man who metaphorically had no heart without any second thought… No, he had not thought to repeat; he had thought it was now behind them.

And then, watching Love watch him, he had given in, resting his head over the demon's still chest as he sighed. Maybe they were not in love. They did need each other, though. And it could he honestly bring himself to feel regret for not being in love when such acts were being _committed_ by Love?

No, he could not.

And so, he lied once again on the mound of blankets and pillows and cloths, his teeth clamped together as he whimpered behind them, his eyes wide and unseeing as his body rocked back and forth. His hands remained immobile above his head, energy that was bright red swirling over them and bending as if they were alive, holding his wrists firmly to the makeshift bed as tendrils of that energy, some follows by thin ropes of sand, trailed up and down his body. His shoulders were digging into the blankets, his erection rubbing with painful pleasure against a pillow placed under his hips, and his knees pressed into the mound.

A wet slapping noise sounded every time the demons hips snapped back against his buttocks, his sack hitting the curve of each cheek every time. With a particularly sharp thrust, Lee's mouth opened and a scream escaped him. In the next thrust, his prostate was being violently and continuously hit, making breathing impossible for him as he sobbed, fingers clawing at whatever they could reach in their shackles and his body attempting to twist; either into the sweet torture, or out, he was uncertain. What he knew was that he was going to die if it did not end soon! It was too good, so hard, so very _hot.  
__  
_And it was hot. One of Love's hands were groping one cheek as the other pressed down between his shoulder, the demon bending over him so his front covered most of Lee's back and his teeth biting dominantly into Lee's shoulder. Fire was practically dancing on him! Love's skin felt as if it were burning against his own already overheated skin.

For this treatment, no matter how much he enjoyed it, he knew it was his own fault. It had to be; Love had no sex drive of his own. Lee just faintly remembered the wet dream he had been having, blue-green eyes staring at him with carnal pleasure and a foreboding smirk. And then he had been woken up just to look up into the same blue-green eyes, full of lust and his hands ripping away at his yoga pants.

Oooh, and how he was enjoying it. He felt as if he would die of all the pleasure… Or was it pain? The two were so deeply interwoven to each other, he could not tell what he felt anymore. What he was certain of was that he did not want it to end, but would surely pass out if it did not.

Finally, he came with a loud keening whine, his hips bucking alternatively against the pillow and back up onto Love as his seed shot out onto the pillow beneath. With him came Love, filling Lee so full and so hot, he screamed again.

For long moments, Love panted against his shoulder, teeth still deeply lodged into Lee's skin without actually breaking it. Lee was mewling underneath him, the energy and sand still running over his flesh in random designs and Love lodged deeply within him, causing tired strands of pleasure to curl up and around within him. With the orgasm he had just had, it felt almost too painful, yet too good to be so.

When his breathing was calm once more and Love had gone too limp to remain within him, his eyes were already closing again, exhausted both by being so suddenly awakened and their actions. "What time is it?" He asked groggily, the energy and sand sliding away from him as he was lowered fully onto the bed yet again, eyes closed now as he breathed deeply.

"… Two past midnight." Love answered with that stoic tone of voice, his hands sliding down Lee's body to grip his hips and position them over the now sticky pillow. His hands followed up from them, gliding over his inner thighs before ending their journey at his knees and spreading them apart as he leaned down and pressed open mouth kisses to Lee's abdomen.

Between his legs, his member remained limp. He felt no pleasure for the act unless Lee did; and though Lee felt the pleasure, he was too tired for it to be enough to make love again.

Watching as Love watched him, he smiled a small wicked smile. His own energy, green and light to the eyes, drifted leisurely from him to Love, stroking over moon pale skin and whispering over his serious face.

Mustering up the strength, he got himself into the mood, bucking his hips even as his energy pulled on the body above him. For a moment, Love did not move. Then he was on his back, staring emotionless up at Lee who now straddled his belly, a pleased flush on his face as his fingers petted over Love's chest. "That was not nice, Love… I was sleeping quite soundly when you woke me up!" His voice was teasing and just over a purr.

He leaned down, pressing lips to Love who instantly fought him, taking control with a sweet change of power of lips, tongue, and teeth until Lee retreated with a gasp, mouth bruised and eyes wanton. He smiled again as he looked down at the predatorily being, feeling each need and lust curl and stretch within him. Against the curve of his buttocks, he felt the certain rise of the demon's erection.

He tapped a finger to Love's nose, just as quickly rolling off of him and burying himself underneath a mountain of blankets as he laughed with twinkling eyes at the blinking demon. He stretched under the blankets, nuzzling a pillow near his head. "Good night, Love!"

Love stared at him… Continued to stare at him… And then his lips twitched ever so slightly. "You are a tease, Lee."

Already half asleep, Lee only giggled, snuggling deeper under the blankets as he sighed. "I am tired, so you shall have to deal with it." And promptly fell asleep.

It was one of those other strange things he had been getting used to…

The familiarity and the feeling that this was love.

Yet that was not possible, was it? After all, Love had no heart.

* * *

T.T I am… sorry… Not only have I not updated in a while, but I give you this sucky chapter to make up for it… *bows* I'm very sorry! ^^; This story is not going at all where I planned it… Hopefully, however, I will still complete it.


	15. Epona's Wild Daughter

"How long has it been?" For the first time, annoyance was heard in the childish tone of the shadow man, his one blood red eye glaring at the blue-skinned demon.

The demon of the oceans scowled deeply, hands clenching at his sides. The gills over his cheekbones flared out in his anger, lethally sharp teeth c lacking together loudly. "A month… my Lord…" Mock followed the title in his voice.

A month since the demon and wiccan had disappeared from the Hyuuga land. He had been tempted to destroy their home and everyone within it out of his fury that they were no longer there. Yet he had let them live. He had no time to deal with their petty fights, nor the spare energy to waste on drowning them.

He had not seen his mate since his second return to the shadow lord. He had not wished to return with knowing nothing, especially with his mate still in vital condition, yet the lord had called him and he knew better than to ignore the call. Returning empty handed, he had not even had time to realize that the shadows had shifted before he spun around to find his mate missing.

Even now, standing once more before the shadow lord, he could hear his taunting words as his one blood-red eye laughed cruelly at him. _'If we love him, we will bring back the boy, won't we?'_

_Before him again, the shadow lord's one eye moved as if he were nodding his head. "A month, a month… An entire four weeks… I don't think your mate can live with such failure on your part."_

_With that, the thick web of darkness that stood behind the shadow lord seemed to move sluggishly away from the cavern walls, crawling over each tendril until the beat, bleeding, broken body of a man-boy was revealed. _

_Kisam's breath caught painfully in his lungs before his jaw dropped wide and a roar of hatred, fear, and sympathizing pain broke loose. It echoed in the small chamber, shaking rock and dirt loose from the mountainous walls and ceiling. Blood was everywhere, he could not even see the black of his lover's hair for it. Itachi's eyes were open, yet life had dimmed from their gaze; blood like a waterfall had left stains on his lips and chin and his clothes were in ribbons if there at all. Bruises, long and winding across his entire body, were colored darkly, standing out starkly against the blood that hid more of him than what cloth was left on him. Beneath the blood on his lips, a taint of blue was visible, as was on whatever flesh that dared to be seen beneath the scarlet and the blue-black of bruises. _

_His ice-gray glare went onto the shadow lord, his gills flaring widely and waves of water forming from his feet to surge against the walls of the cave till it threatened to fall on them. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?" He screamed at the shadow lord, a large patch of stone falling from the ceiling which was very quickly followed by a groan from the mountain itself._

"_Find him. And quickly." The shadow lord showed no fear in the collapsing cave, reaching out two fingers to cup Itachi's jaw gently as a caring lover would. His one eye remained on Kisame, angered and impatient. "Your mate can hardly stand for this."_

_Kisame was breathing hard, the water lapping at his knees now; which was quite a feat, seeing as how he neared eight feet tall. "If you harm him again… I will leave you and join those seeking your death!" He hissed it out, his face turned down and his fists shaking. If the shadow lord hurt his mate again…_

_His mate would die. He knew it. He felt it in his heart which was as cold as the bottom of the ocean and as slow as coral. It hardly beat, yet it felt strangled in his chest. _

"_Don't push me, you overgrown fish!" The shadow lord hissed back. "You are in no position to swear anything. Now, get out and find them."_

_Kisame stood where he was for a long moment, staring hard at Itachi, willing him to give some sign that he was even alive._

_Nothing._

_With another roar of both pain and vengeance, a wave swept up, crashing against the stone ceiling before collapsing over him. When it was gone, he was as well, the water soaking into the ground till not a drop was left, nor a puddle. _

_One day, and one day soon, he was going to murder that man. That man that was not even demon, but a coward and a mage._

_Oh, and he was going to make him feel it as he had made his mate feel every moment. He swore the oceans upon it._

* * *

… _*No Comment* _


	16. Singer of Connection

Wisps of thick clouds of burning sage blocked his vision. In it's entirety, he saw not a thing beyond the gray and white smoke that curled about his black-clothed body and caressed his pale face and hands as it left its scent in his scarlet red hair.

With darkly shadowed eyes narrowed with annoyance, he stepped silently through the fog; a predator after the predator.

He heard a sound before he saw a figure; a wet, sliding sound against the ground he could not be certain was there except for the fact that he walked upon it.

A large bodied creature stood before him after only a few minutes. His head tilted slightly backwards to take in the deft difference of height of it. In his search for it, he had nearly stumbled into it.

The loss of grace would have infuriated him.

The creature was… large and long. As aforementioned. No legs were apparent; as would be suspected with such a beast he supposed this was. Atop of it, it's color was a soft tone of pink, its eyes feet from it's actual head due to its eye sockets.

He was dealing with an extremely large _slug_.

His lip curled with distaste as he moved to walk around it. No luck.

As if impossible to escape him, his way was continuously blocked by the bulk of the creature. Eyes narrowed, he lifted a hand. He expected red energy to form at his palm, as it would.

Nothing happened.

He growled under his breath as he eyed his said palm. What was this? A mockery? A common variety slug decides to grow beyond belief and then block his path?

"If you touch her, I will kill you before I let you talk, got that, demon boy?"

His eyes flickered from his palm to a boisterous woman who was suddenly on the slug's back; her hair was pulled into two loose ponytails and her hands set on her hips. Her lips were full and red, her eyes hazel and condemning.

He tilted his head up slightly as he stared at her with cold, dangerous teal eyes. "Where have you brought me, wiccan?" Her energy roiled off of her like a spider web would, strands of green that circled and swooped and then came back.

A powerful wiccan; could even possibly be a witch, yet she wore a silver robe that named her High Priestess. She gave a cool smirk. "I've brought you here, no more needed. You should be more worried about _who_ brought you here, boy. Youth these days… Always asking the wrong things…"

Now he was highly offended, his eyes narrowing to slits as a tick began in his jaw. "I am no boy, wiccan. Nor is it wise of you to mock me."

The smirk grew on her red lips, a deep chuckle working up from her breast as she stared down at him. "Y'know, for someone who's not supposed to feel anything, you're pretty emotional right now. Or haven't you noticed?"

He stared at her for a long moment… Blinked… "What sorcery is this, wiccan?"

"You haven't asked me who I am yet."

His eyes narrowed further. "I have no wish to know your name."

"It's important… After all, _your_ boy toy is _my_ charge. You better start wishing, you little shit." She tapped a finger against her hip, her smirk strained and her eyes closed with annoyance. A vein in her head began to almost visibly throb despite the fog and space separating them.

His head tilted slightly down in acknowledgment and question. "You are his high priestess?"

"You're getting really cozy with him, aren't you?" She tapped a finger to the center of his forehead, abruptly right before him and the slug no long within sight as the fog embraced them so closely, it were as if they were surrounded by cotton. "How long have you two been together like rogues in the desert, huh? Three months now altogether? And you have both been lovers for about two of those months. You know what? _You're_ not supposed to feel _anything_."

Exasperation showed in the frown twisting his lips into a scowl. The muscles in his face worked hardly; making the feature hard to tell from his usual stoic expression. "I am aware of this, wiccan. Do not test me."

She began muttering something just under her breath, so low he heard not one thing muttered.

Yet he most certainly _felt_ it.

A fire erupted in the very spot his heart should have rested… _Did_ rest. It pounded against his chest, leaving him wheezing, his fist clenching the cloth of his breast as he fell to his knees. Tears hazed over his eyes and a sob escaped his throat as his forehead touched the ground.

He felt _everything_. More than he had felt in so very long. Every emotion was now housed in the red organ; from that of hatred towards the Uchiha for harming his one true friend, to the respect and pride he felt in Naruto, to…

Oh gods, the emotion called love; no… _Love_, complete with a powerful capital 'L', made him want to reach out to the boy he knew rested in his nest where his physical body rested.

Quick on the heels of those emotions were disgust and loathing for feeling so strongly. He was not meant to feel; he was not meant to even _care_ to feel.

Emotions made one weak. Gave weakness.

"Doesn't feel good at all, does it?" Her tone was snide and rhetorical, her eyes understanding as they looked down at his fallen form. "But that's how you feel. No emotions from the brat, no barriers; all your own emotions." The cruelty returned to her eyes and the taunting tilt to her lips. "Now that you know how you really feel, let's talk about how to break the bond."

She pointed a finger down at him, even as he glared up at her, tears that colored his vision red (for they were indeed of blood) tracking down his pale cheeks to evaporate into the sage-induced fog. "No one ever said anything about you both dying if you're the one that gets killed, did they?" She clearly knew something that eluded his own intelligence.

In his current state, he was willing to shove his fist through her chest and rip out her own heart for her constant teasing. Someone needed to be in pain aside from himself.

"I can not die, that is why my weakness was created in him." He choked on each word, voice rasping and whispery as if someone had attempted to strangle his throat and heart. Each syllable pronounced deeply his aggravation and was snarled between sharpened teeth.

Her smirk grew wider. "I know it's pretty damn hard to kill you. Most people, even demons, shouldn't be alive after literally being cut to pieces and then spread over the desert." Now her eyes seemed to darken to a forest green. "Doesn't mean you can't die."

She leaned down now, level with his detest-filled glare. "Your life is tied to his; it doesn't go the other way around."

"You are no priestess." He snarled, blood staining his cheeks. "You are a wicked witch."

Now the fury that had just tickled her expression overcame her smile entirely. The tilt of her lips was razor sharp and her eyes hard and punishing. "Oh yeah? Tell you what; since I'm so absolutely wicked, you can wake up with your emotions, you got that? Do you understand?" With more strength than would have been thought, she grabbed the collar of his coat and lifted him off of his feet until he dangled a few inches above her head.

He felt no fear, and stared coldly down at her in turn. "Your heart will rest with Lee till the day one of you drops dead; if it's Lee who kicks the bucket first, then you both do. Unfortunately for you, your soul's your own again. And I quirked it a bit. No more hiding from humanity again, you little fuck!"

She threw him from her. Literally, _threw_ him from her. In the air, everything narrowed to that as if he were attempting to see through a straw. There was a sudden halt with his heart, the air of his lungs whooshed out of his chest-

And then his eyes snapped open as Lee made a soft, upset moan, for his hand now held his shoulder in an iron grip. Slowly, he released Lee, allowing the boy to sigh happily before snuggling deeper into his side where he had fallen asleep, one leg thrown over one of his own for he rested on his back as Lee laid on his side.

"Love?" Lee's drowsy voice drifted to his ears, making a sweet ache form in his soul…

His soul… The priestess had not lied, for now it rested within his own body… And his greatest wish to rip it out again. It felt heavy on his chest as if it were his heart as well, weighing on his mind with a thousand different emotions; most of them yet unnamed.

He drifted his lips over the crown of Lee's head, pausing momentarily to steal a deep breath of mint and spice that was his charge's scent. His lover's scent. "All is well." He said in answering the soft concern in Lee's voice.

Not conscious enough to decipher whether it was truth or not, Lee yawned before settling against him once more, falling instantly back to sleep with deep, calm breaths.

And all the while, he held Lee to him.

All was most certainly _not well. He was going to gift, very soon here, Lee's high priestess with his rancorous presence._

_Abrupt ending, I know. After the last sentence, I could not think of anything else to write. I know, I know… Lady Tsunade most likely came across OOC in this chapter, but I really don't know how she would actually act, so… Yeah…_

_I was getting seriously bothered by how long had passed since my last update. Now that I have updated, I feel better about myself._


	17. Tenth Placed Card

Lee learns 'Love's' real name; Gaara dies for Lee, is brought back by the power of love, and then Kisame kills the shadow lord (who is Tobi if no one has figured that out yet), freeing Itachi. Naruto and Sasuke go at it; Naruto wins and Sasuke is left alive to fend for himself as a human once more because the bond that had attached him to Orochimaru was severed.

Lee and Gaara go through the bonding ritual, then they get married by civilian standards, and then they have a mate bonding as well, and then live a happily ever after.

I am sorry… I could not work on this story anymore. Just try and fill in the blanks if you will. I just could not bring myself to write for a story I no longer felt anything more…

Maybe one day I will come back to this story and edit it; till then, this is what I give you.


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